Anotace:
The initial slow growth of mango ginger makes them highly vulnerable to weed interference with high yield losses. Timely weeding and adequate fertilization therefore is a necessity for enhanced productivity of mango ginger. Field trials were conducted in the early cropping seasons of 2016 and 2017 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria to evaluate the effect of weeding frequency under different application rates of organo-mineral fertilizer on growth and productivity of mango ginger. Treatments were laid out in split plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plot treatments were three levels of organo-mineral fertilizer at 0 t ha-1, 2.4 t ha-1 and 3.6 t ha-1 while sub plots treatments consisted of six weeding frequencies viz: weeding at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 weeks after planting (WAP); Weeding at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 WAP; Weeding at 3, 6, 9, 12 WAP; Weeding at 4, 8, 12, 16 WAP; Weed free and Weedy check as control. Results showed that application of 3.6 t ha-1 organo-mineral fertilizer gave the highest rhizome yield and return on investment in both years. Although plot kept weed free throughout crop life cycle produced the highest rhizome yield, plot weeded at 4, 8, 12 and 20 WAP gave the highest return on investment in both years. This study reveals that application of 3.6 t ha-1 of organo-mineral fertilizer and weeding at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 WAP resulted in optimum yield with highest return on investment.