Organic fertilizer management for organic okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), and green pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) production

Most organic farmer practitioners applied the amount of organic fertilizer only during transplanting. This practice seriously affects the growth and development of vegetables especially during the reproductive stage because of nutrient deficiency thereby affecting the yield performance of the crop that resulted to low yield. To solve and reduce the effect of nutrient deficiency on organic vegetable, the study aims to establish organic fertilizer management for vegetables. Specifically, it aims to: a) establish frequency of organic fertilizer application; and b) determine the yield performance and net return based on the different treatments used. The study was conducted during the dry seasons of 2014 and 2015 under pure organic system. Treatments were: T1 = basal application of organic fertilizer during planting (8 t/ha), T2 = two split application of organic fertilizer during planting and at 30 days after transplanting (8 t/ha); and T3 = three split application of organic fertilizer during planting, 30 days after transplanting, and after the first harvest (8 t/ha). Two split application of organic fertilizer in okra obtained the highest yield (9.87 t/ha) during the first trial while comparable yield was obtained by basal and two split applications (12.40 t/ha) and (12.00 t/ha) during the second trial. One eggplant, basal application and two split application of organic fertilizer (5.041 t/ha and 5.27 t/ha) obtained comparable yield on the first trial while three split and basal application obtained comparable yield (11.17 t/ha and 12.09 t/ha) at second trial. Green pepper yield showed that two and three split application of organic fertilizer obtained comparable yield during the first and second trial (4.21 t/ha; 4.14 t/ha and 5.03 t/ha; 5.02 t/ha). Cost and return analysis on Ladies finger showed that basal application of organic fertilizer obtained the highest Return on Expenses (ROE) during the first and second trial (36.36% and 62.91%). Basal application of organic fertilizer on eggplant obtained higher ROE (84.39% and 308.66%) during the first and second trial. On green pepper, basal application obtained ROE of 89.76% during the first trial and two split application during the second trial (121.09%).