Performance of different organic fertilizers on the production of the amaranth (amaranthus hybridus l) on sandy soil in the south of benin

The urban and suburban farming takes place very widely on sandy soils in the south Benin. In this activity, producers are confronted to problems, diseases, parasitic attacks and soil fertilization particularly. However, this farming needs organic material to improve the soils and maintain their fertility under intensive crops/cultures. The goal of the survey conducted at Sèmè-Podji on sandy soil in South Benin is to assess the performance of five (5) sources of organic fertilizers (compost with guano and ruminant’s litter, poultry droppings, cow dung, the combination compost/poultry droppings and the compost/cow dung) on the growth, the yield and the parasitic attacks on the cultivation of the Amaranthus hybridus. The experimental arrangement/mechanism/system put in place is a two factors split-plot. The first factor is the type of crop used (Amaranth) and the five sources of organic fertilizers represent the second factor. Thus we have, the sample included, six (06) treatments that are repeated four (04) times; which gives 24 experimental units. The results showed that the poultry droppings and the compost with guano and ruminant’s litterhave had a sensitive effect on the growth in number of the amaranth leaf. On the other hand, all treatments have significantly influenced the growth in height of the amaranth seedlings. So the different organic fertilizers have influenced the yield of the amaranth with a significant difference at the threshold of 5% contrary to the sample. But the poultry droppings and the compost with guano and ruminant’s litter have had a yield in weight higher than the other treatments. Besides, the compost has sensitively reduced the pest attacks. So the compost has been identified as the fertilizer qualified to improve the soil fertility and also a good fertilizer for the plant.