Assessing the efficacy of Sunflower seed cake on the growth performance of Phaseolus Vulgaris.

Abstract

Owing to its nutritional value, especially proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and micronutrients, common bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) has been recognized as a crop that could ensure food security mostly, in Sub-Saharan Africa, where its productivity is low. However, its low productivity is attributed to a milliard of constraints, of which low plant-available phosphorus (P) and limited moisture in soil are among the major limiting factors.

A study to evaluate the efficacy of sunflower seed cake as an organic fertilizer was carried out using a pot experiment in a greenhouse at Makerere university herbarium in 2023.

The major objective was to evaluate the efficacy of sunflower seed cake as an organic fertilizer used in the growing of common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris. The experiment was laid a single randomized block design with four levels of sunflower seed cake at rates of 0, 100, 200 and 300g of SSC dry mater per 5L pot containing marram soil. Each level was replicated four times. The plant population sample was the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), the red-mottled Nambale variety of which three were seeded in respective 5L soil pots containing respective amounts of SSC.

Results collected 8 weeks after seeding showed that bean plant height, number of leaves and leaf area indices responded positively to the amount of sunflower seed cake. Significant differences were mainly obtained between the 0 and 100glevels of the sunflower seed cake.

It can be concluded from this study that sole application of sunflower seed cake has the potential of enhancing growth of beans when right amounts of the sunflower seed cake are used, provided key factors are constantly made available.