Soil nutrient supplementation on growth and biomass production of Roselle under tropical conditions

Abstract

Pot experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of supplementing soil nutrients with different levels each of NPK (20:10:10) and poultry manure on the growth and biomass production of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.). Soil supplemented with 20 ton ha -1 poultry manure significantly ( = 0.05) increased growth, partitioning over 80 % of dry weight to shoots. Treated plants flowered at 10 weeks after sowing. Anthocyanin was more concentrated in the leaves of plants treated with chemical fertilizer than in manure-treated and control plants, but the trend reversed at 18 weeks. It was concluded that 20 ton ha -1 poultry manure significantly increased growth, biomass, and economic yield of Roselle.