@article{Okoli_Nwafor_Ihegboro_Emma-Okafor_Nwosu_Onwuchekwa_Ibeawuchi_2024, title={Integrated application of wood ash and inorganic fertilizer sources on vegetative growth, fruit yield, and nutrient quality of Solanum aethiopicum L.}, volume={13}, url={https://oiccpress.com/international-journal-of-recycling-of-organic-waste-in-agriculture/article/integrated-application-of-wood-ash-and-inorganic-fertilizer-sources-on-vegetative-growth-fruit-yield-and-nutrient-quality-of-solanum-aethiopicum-l/}, DOI={10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1303.29}, abstractNote={Purpose: Wood ash is an important alternative source of inorganic potassium especially for farmers in areas with acidic soils. Method: The experiment was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, treatments consisted of the application of inorganic fertilizer sources (0 kgha-1, 130.44 kgha-1 of urea, and 300 kgha-1 of NPK of 20:10:10) and wood ash (0 tha-1, 5 tha-1 , and 10 tha-1) to garden egg seedlings. In the second phase of the experiment, garden eggfruits were analyzed for nutrient contents. Results: Significant (p≤0.05) fruit yield followed this order: 10 tha-1 of wood ash > control > 5 tha-1 of wood ash. Inorganic fertilizer sources effect on fruit yield followed this sequence:  300 kgha-1 of NPK 20:10:10 > 130.44 kgha-1 of urea > control. The interaction of 10 tha-1 of wood ash and 300 kgha-1 of NPK 20:10:10 produced the highest fruit yield (57 ± 0.50 tha-1). A combined application of 300 kgha-1 of NPK and 5 tha-1 of wood ash showed a greater improvement in vitamin C while an integrated application of 130.44 kgha-1 of urea and 10 tha-1 of wood ash increased vitamin A contents of garden egg. Conclusion: Integration of 10 tha-1 of wood ash and 300 kgha-1 of NPK 20:10:10 positively improved the growth and yield of the garden egg. The addition of a lower rate of wood ash to NPK fertilizer and a higher rate of wood ash to urea significantly improved the nutrient contents of garden eggs.   Highlights ● Wood ash is an effective organic lime used in soil amendment of acidic soils. ● Fruit yield in garden eggs showed a linear increase with increasing rates of wood ash. ● Application of NPK fertilizer had superior fruit yield and quality to urea fertilizer. ● Potassium in wood ash and NPK fertilizer accounts for high fruit yield in garden egg. ●Integration of wood ash and inorganic fertilizers produced higher nutrient contents.  }, number={3}, journal={International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture}, publisher={OICC Press}, author={Okoli, Nneka Angela and Nwafor, Ifeoma Chiazokam and Ihegboro, Martina and Emma-Okafor, Lilian Chinaenye and Nwosu, Boniface Okechukwu and Onwuchekwa, Charles Uche and Ibeawuchi, Innocent Izuchukwu}, year={2024}, month={Feb.}, keywords={Soil Amendment, Potassium, Acidic soil, Fruit vegetable, Organic lime} }