INTRODUCTION
Statement of the problem
The students of Moshupa Senior Secondary School observed that the leaves of spinach turned
yellow between the leaf veins and curling of leaf tips of spinach resulting in low yield of spinach. This
might be caused by lack of potassium. An experiment was conducted to check if addition of kraal
manure will help increase the yield of spinach.
RELATED RESEARCH
Badirile (2009) did a research on effects of kraal manure on the yield of spinach leaves and
concluded and found out that kraal manure increases mass per unit area of spinach leaves by
1.2kg/m2.
Bagwasi (2010) did a research on effects of kraal manure on the yield of spinach leaves and
concluded and found out that kraal manure increases mass per unit area of spinach leaves by
1.2kg/m2.
IMPORTANCE
The experiment was conducted to check if addition of kraal manure will increase the yield of
spinach. If so agriculture students of Moshupa Senior Secondary School will benefit from the
experiment. They are going to be given the result, information and use it to improve the yellowing
between leaf veins and curling of leaf tips of spinach and increase the yield of spinach.
OBJECTIVE
Will the addition of kraal manure increase mass per unit area of spinach leaves?
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Description of site
The experiment was conducted at Moshupa Senior Secondary School Garden next to maths
department and agriculture department and the boys’ toilets in front of it. The size of the site is 1.
77ha.There were shades to help control the rate of evapo transpiration and also the garden was
fenced to protect the spinach from being eaten by goats. There were also weeds that competed with
spinach for water, air and nutrients in the soil but was controlled by the method called handpicking.
The site is surrounded by star grass which provides aphids with shelter and passes diseases to
spinach. There were also weeds that blocked irrigation canal and water ways. Maize was planted on
the garden before.
DESIGN OF EXPERIMENT
6m
C2
T1
C1
1.5m
T2
1.5m
1.5m
1.5m
KEY:
T1 and T2 -treatment subplots (kraal manure added)
C1 and C2 -control subplots (kraal manure not added)
The plot allocated measured 6m by 1m and it is divided into four subplots each is 1m by 1.5m. The
kraal manure is added into two treatment subplots which is T1 and T2 and kraal manure is not added
into two control subplots which is C1 and C2 as shown in the diagram. The researcher used ballot
paper method to choose treatment and control subplots. The A4 paper was cut into four pieces and
each piece was labelled T1 the other piece T2, third piece C1 and the fourth piece C2. After that T1,
T2, C1and C2 pieces were folded and put in the dish then they were Shaked to mix them. The
researcher then put one folded piece of paper in the first subplot, second folded paper in the second
subplot, the third folded piece of paper in the third subplot and the fourth folded piece of paper in
the fourth subplot. The folded pieces of paper were unfolded. The first piece unfolded in the first
subplot was T1, indicating that the portion will be used according to what is written in the paper, the
second unfolded piece of paper in the second subplot was C1, the third unfolded piece of paper in
the third subplot showed T2 and the fourth unfolded piece of paper in the fourth subplot was C2.
The outcome is shown in the diagram above.
PROCEDURE
The land allocation was done in an area of 6mx1m. The clearing of land was done to remove grass
and stones that was there so that cultivation using digging fork and levelling using rake and planting
can be done well. Spade was used to remove grass and rake was used to remove grass.
Wheelbarrow was used to take away waste materials which are grass and stones from the plot to
the pit where waste materials are thrown. The soil was then cultivated using digging fork in order to
loosen the soil to have good drainage and so that roots can penetrate well in the soil. Ridges were
made by soil using rake to prevent water from running outside the plot. Four subplot which was
treatment subplots (T1 and T2) and control subplots which was (C1 and C2) were done using meter
and each one of it was 1.5m2. Levelling was done using rake to break down lumps so that the soil can
be flat for easy distribution of water equally.
Kraal manure was added in the treatment subplots and in the control subplots manure was not
added. It was added as basal dressing using broadcasting method before sowing. The amount of
manure added on each treatment subplot was 3kg/m2 and manure was measured using adam scale.
After addition of manure on the treatment subplots was cultivated to mix kraal manure with the soil
and after that the subplots were levelled and watered for the preparation of sowing spinach seeds.
The seed of spinach Ford hook giant was sown on the subplots. The correct spacing was done as
inter-row spacing was measured 60cm and intra-row spacing was 25cm. After measuring the plot
was then watered using a watering can so that seed germination can take place. Weeds were
removed using the method of handpicking to avoid competition for nutrients, water and air with
crops. After two weeks of seedling emergence the soil was then turned down to loosen it and to
improve aeration using a hand fork. Lastly thinning was done to create space for seedlings to allow
air circulation.
METHODS OF OBSERVATION DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
The mass of spinach leaves was measured. The mass of spinach leaves was obtained using Adam
scale which has a maximum of 15kg, minimum of 100g and correction factor of 5g. Sampling was not
done due to small area of the subplots used as they measured 6m2.
RESULTS
The table below shows the effects of kraal manure on the yield of spinach leaves harvested in 7
weeks after seedling emergence of spinach leaves which was harvested in a day.
Title: Mass per unit area of spinach leaves where kraal manure was added (treatment) and where
kraal manure was not added (control).
Mass per unit area
of spinach leaves in
kg/m2
Treatment (T) Kraal manure
applied
Control (C) No kraal
manure applied
2.2
1.0
DISCUSSION
Mass per unit area of spinach leaves in treatment subplots where kraal manure was added was
2.2kg/m2 while in control subplots where kraal manure was not added was 1.0kg/m2. The difference
in treatment where kraal manure was added and in control where kraal manure was not added is
1.2kg/m2 which is in favour of treatment where kraal manure was added. Kraal manure was added
which contains phosphorus which helped in the growth of roots of spinach leaves. Squirrels which
used to eat spinach leaves and affected the experiment. The results agrees with Badirile (2009) who
concluded that kraal manure increases mass per unit area of spinach leaves by 1.2kg/m2.
CONCLUSION
The addition of kraal manure has increased mass per unit area of spinach leaves.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The students of Moshupa Senior Secondary School should add kraal manure before planting because
it has shown to increase the yield of spinach leaves.
The students of Moshupa Senior Secondary School should repeat the experiment to check if addition
of kraal manure can also increase the yield of beetroots.
REFERENCES
Badirile, R. (2009). Effects of kraal manure on the yield of spinach. Unpublished BGCSE Agricultural
Project. Department of Agriculture. Moshupa Senior Secondary School,18 pgs.
Bagwasi, T. (2010). Effects of kraal manure on the yield of spinach. Unpublished BGCSE Agricultural
Project. Department of Agriculture. Moshupa Senior Secondary School,18 pgs.`
APENDICES
Mass of spinach leaves in treatment where kraal manure is added and mass of spinach leaves in
control where kraal manure is not added harvested 7 weeks after seedling emergence in a day.
Mass of Spinach leaves in Kg
Treatment (T)
Kraal manure applied
Control (C)
No kraal manure applied
T1=4.3
C1=1.2
T2=2.4
C2=1.5
Mass per unit area for spinach leaves in treatment (where kraal manure was applied):
Mass per unit area=Mass of spinach leaves in treatment subplots 1 and 2
Area of treatment subplots
=4.3kg+2.4kg
1.5kgm2 +1.5m2
=6.7kg
3m2
=2.2kg/m2
Mass per unit area for spinach leaves in control (where no kraal manure was applied):
Mass per unit area=Mass of spinach leaves in control subplots 1 and 2
Area of control subplots
=1.2kg+1.5kg
1.5m2+1.5m2
=2.7kg
3m2
=1.0kg/m2
=1.0kg/m2TION---------
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT---------------------------------------------------------------------------------INTRODUCTION------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Statement of the problem
Related Research
Importance
Objective
MATERIALS AND METHODS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Description of the site
Design of experiment
Procedure
METHODS OF OBSERVATION DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS--------------------------------------RESULTS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DISCUSSION-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CONCLUSION----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------RECOMMENDATIONS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------REFERENCES------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------APENDICES---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------