Effect of biofertilizer produced from cow dung and conventional fertilizer on Plant Growth

Akuma Oji, Dappa Richard Godgift

Biofertilizer, Chemical fertilizer, Plant growth rate.

This experimental research work is on the production of biofertilizer from cow dung and the comparism of plant growth rate using biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer. It was conducted first with anaerobically degeneration of cow dung in a minifloating biodigester for a period of 30 days to produce biofertilizer, a liquid with soil enriching property hence suitable for plant growth, then test of the effect on growth rate using the biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer on cultivated maize in nurseries for a period of 30 days. Laboratory test of biofertilizer recorded pH of 4.9, N2 of 0.026mg/l, K of 650mg/l, while chemical fertilizer had pH of 5.1, N2 of 0.00124mg/l, K of 3416.66mg/l. Test results based on performance of the fertilizers on the growth rate of maize shows the height of stem for the biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer to be 26.2cm and 25.3cm respectively, the length of roots to be 11.4cm and 10.3cm for the biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer respectively, and the length of the broadest leaf to be 25.8cm and 25.2cm for the biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer respectively.The results from all the resaerch shows that cow dung can be converted through, anaerobic biodegradation to biofertilizer amongst other useful products and the biofertilizer produced is richer in nutrints than the chemical fertilizer, hence it is more suitable and have a better effect on growth rate.

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