NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF FLUTED PUMPKIN LEAVES (Telfairia occidentalis HOOK F.) AS AFFECTED BY FOUR DIFFERENT RATES OF UREA FERTILIZER IN UNWANA-AFIKPO, EBONYI STATE

Abstract

The nutritional composition of Fluted Pumpkin leaves (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.) as affected by four different rates of Urea fertilizer in Unwana-Afikpo was conducted at the research farm of Department of Horticulture and Landscape Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana. The area is in a humid tropical agro-ecological zone. The objective was to evaluate the nutritional composition under different urea fertilizer rates. The study was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated three (3) times. Each replicate was made up of four (4) plots. Treatments include urea fertilizer rates of 0, 40, 80 and 120kg. Proximate data collected on the fluted pumpkin leaves at 12 weeks after planting (WAP) were; carbohydrate, crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat and moisture content. Analysis of variance results (ANOVA) indicate that the distribution of carbohydrate, crude protein and other nutrients in the fluted pumpkin leaves was influenced by urea fertilizer. 80kgN/ha produced more carbohydrate (4.96%), more crude protein (12.01%) and more crude fiber content (5.38%) while control plots recorded the least values on all parameters assessed. On the other hand, when the urea fertilizer was increased beyond 80kg/ha, there was declined in the nutritional composition except on crude fat and moisture content with 2.61% and 75.02%, respectively. However, we recommend 80kg/ha of urea fertilizer for better improvement on the nutritional composition of fluted pumpkin leave in Unwana-Afikpo.