The effects of different types of duckweed manure on height and yield of floridade tomatoes

Abstract

Duckweed can be used as a source of nutrient because of its higher trapping efficient. The research study was carried out in Mbizo 3, some 3km north-west of the city of Kwekwe in the Midlands Province. Kwekwe is in Agro-ecological Region 3 with an altitude of 1000 m above sea level. Higher yields were obtained in green manure treatments compared to compost and control treatments. Overall, the highest growth rate (1160, 7mm) was obtained from plots treated with green manure at 17th week followed by plants under control plots (520mm). Both duckweed green and compost manure can significantly increase the yield and growth rate of tomatoes, though green manure had both higher yield and growth rate than compost manure. The major variation between compost and green manure was due to differences in C: N ratio. Materials that have a high C: N ratio will also lower the availability of N content to plants and time of harvesting the weed.