Effects of Compost tea on Productivity of Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Varieties in Sudan Savanna of Nigeria

Abstract

Maintenance of soil productivity is one of the significant constraints affecting crop production in tropical region. Thus, field experiments were carried out in the 2018 rainy season at the Bayero University, Kano’s Teaching and Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, and Federal College of Education, Katsina’s Teaching and Demonstration Farm. The study aimed to evaluate compost tea’s effect on the productivity of green bean varieties. The treatments comprised three compost tea rates (0, 50, and 100 l ha^-1) and two green bean varieties (Bean Cora and Haricot Contender). The treatments were combined factorially and arranged in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times. Collected data from the field were subjected to an analysis of variance using Genstat statistical package. The results showed that use of compost tea at 100 l ha^-1 significantly increased canopy height, number of branches plant^-1, number of leaves plant^-1, leaf area plant^-1, shoot dry matter, number of pods plant^-1, pod length, pod weight plant^-1, and green pods yield compared with the use of 50 l ha^-1 and control. The results also indicated that varieties differed significantly (p < 0.05) in most studied characters. Bean Cora recorded a considerably greater green pod yield than Haricot Contender. Based on the findings of this study, Bean Cora is a favourable variety in this location. However, it is also suggested that application compost tea at 100 l ha^-1 be used as an organic source of nutrients for green bean production in the Sudan Savanna of Nigeria.