Effect of cattle manure compost on soil available nutrients and growth, yield and yield components of snake cucumber Cucumis melo var. flexuosus

A field experiment was conducted on a farm in Shatt Al-Arab region, Basrah province, Iraq using 12 fertilizer management treatments for testing soil available nutrients and growth and yield of snake cucumber. The fertilization treatments included control (T1); recommended chemical fertilization (T2); uncomposted manure at level of 2% (T3); uncomposted manure at level of 4% (T4); uncomposted manure at level of 8% (T5); composted manure for 2 months at level of 2% (T6); composted manure for 2 months at level of 4% (T7); composted manure for 2 months at level of 8% (T8); composted manure for 3 months at level of 2% (T9); composted manure for 3 months at level of 4% (T10); composted manure for 3 months at level of 8% (T11); and conventional fertilization included T2 + T4 (T12). Cattle residue was composted under aerobic condition for 2 or 3 months in a plastic padded hall at moisture of 60%, or uncomposted, then applied by mixing method with 15 cm upper layer of soil. Results showed superiority in available N, P and K contents, shoot dry weight, fruits yield and yield components with the combined use of uncomposted manure and chemical fertilizers (conventional treatment, T12). However, insignificant differences have been observed at all studied parameters in treatment T5 receiving uncomposted manure at rate of 8% compared with T12. The yields of snake cucumber were 18.10 and 15.96 Mgha-1 at treatments T12 and T5, respectively. Lower nitrate content in fruits was found in treatment T5 as compared with treatment T12. Data also revealed that the best soil and plant parameters and lower nitrate content were obtained in plots received uncomposted manure as compared with composted ones. These results provide a good attention to use uncomposted manure as soil amendment which can replace the conventional fertilization to enhance crop yield and quality.