Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Yield response of the African indigenous leafy vegetable Cleome gynandra to application of cattle and goat kraal manure and harvesting techniques

Author(s):

Marafolatsane T. Seeiso, Simeon A. Materechera *

Recieved Date: 2012-06-18, Accepted Date: 2012-10-02

Abstract:

Cleome gynandra is an African indigenous leafy vegetable that is widely consumed by rural households in South Africa but there is a dearth of information on its cultivation and management. This study was aimed at determining the effects of applying ruminant kraal manure (cattle, goat and control) in combination with harvesting techniques (cutting edible tender tips only, cutting all leaves and cutting all the leaves but once at the end of the growing period) on biomass yield of leaves. Plants were grown in large PVC pots and leaves were cut five times before the final harvest. Application of both cattle and goat manure (50:50 by volume, soil: manure) significantly increased leaf biomass yields compared with the control. Plants that were grown in soil amended with goat manure produced significantly higher total fresh leaf yield (470.86 g pot^-1) than those under cattle manure (328.42 g pot^-1). The yields in the treatments with manure increased progressively with each harvesting while those in the control declined. Plants where all the leaves were cut produced significantly higher total yields (371 g pot^-1) compared with cutting only edible tender leaves (342.83 g pot^-1) and cutting all the leaves at the end (165.35 g pot^-1). A combination of goat manure and cutting all leaves produced the best highest fresh leaf yield (571.99 g pot^-1) while the corresponding yield for cattle manure was (439.69 g pot^-1). An analysis of the manure indicated a higher nutrient content in goat manure (2.5 mg kg^-1 P, 1.72%N) than cattle (1.07mg kg^-1 P, 1.67%N) suggesting that this could explain the superior contribution by goat manure to yields of Cleome gynandra. It is concluded that the yields of Cleome gynandra could be improved by adopting an appropriate manure application regime and leaf harvesting technique.  The use of goat manure and cutting all the edible leaves throughout the growing time is optimal. 

Keywords:

Biomass yield, food security, indigenous vegetables, soil nutrients

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2012
Volume: 10
Issue: 3&4
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 789-794

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