Effects of two organic manure sources on the proximate and mineral contents of two morphotypes of Nigerian pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.)

Abstract

Pumpkin is one of the neglected fruit vegetables in Nigeria. With the goal of popularizing the crop through research, effects of organic nutrients sources were assessed on the proximate and mineral contents of its green and orange morphotypes in year 2015, at the Teaching and Research Farm of Osun State University, College of Agriculture. Poultry manure and cow-dung were applied at the rate of 10 tons/ha each, with no manure as control. The experiment was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated three times. Fruits were harvested at maturity and analyzed for proximate and minerals. The results of the proximate analysis (%) for plants under poultry manure, cow-dung and control respectively showed that crude protein, crude fibre, fat, carbohydrate, moisture content and ash were:(7.34-7.52), (1.99-2.62), (2.27-2.36), (75.6-77.2), (7.45-8.44), and (3.54-4.04) respectively. The moisture content of the plants treated with the manure sources was similar but higher than that of the control. Proximate contents of both cultivars are largely similar. The results of selected minerals (mg/100) which included Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn, and P were (4.01-4.28), (0.11-0.16), (3.77-5.40), (0.08-0.10) and (144-165) respectively across the two morphotypes evaluated. There were similarities among the Mg, Cr and Mn contents of the control and plants treated with the two organic manure sources. Fe was however more in the plants treated with cow dung. Nutrient compositions in both morphotypes were similar with a very few exemptions. The nutrients contents in the pumpkin morphotypes studied are high enough for the crop to receive more attention.