Shared Seasoned Journal

Plantain production in Nigeria may result in unprofitable enterprise due to weed infestation and soil fertility decline. Therefore, field experiments were conducted to examine the economic production of plantain under weed management strategies integrated with organic matter at Afaha-Nsit, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Seven treatments were replicated three times. These were sweet potato (20,000 plants/ha) plus organic matter (poultry manure (20t/ha)) or sawdust (40t/ha); egusi-melon (20,000 plants/ha) plus hand-slashing (3months interval) plus organic matter, cover crops (sweet potato plus egusi-melon) plus organic matter and weedy plus no organic matter (control). The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design. Analysis of variance was carried out on data obtained on weed studies and plantain performance. Means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% probability level. Partial budget analysis was carried out to assess the net profit of each weed management strategy integrated with either sawdust or poultry manure. The results showed that the treatments of sweet-potato plus sawdust; egusi-melon plus sweet-potato plus sawdust; egusi-melon plus hand-slashing plus sawdust and the control reduced the percentage net profit by average of 42.3, 43.1, 66.6 and 95.8% respectively. The highest net profit (N 745,600) and marginal rate of return (4.4) were obtained from the treatment of egusi-melon plus sweet potato integrated with poultry manure; hence it is recommended.

Keywords: plantain, cover crops, hand-slashing, organic matter and profit.