Growth and proximate composition of Amaranthus cruentus L. on poor soil amended with compost and arbuscular mycorrhizafungi

Purpose The study was carried out to examine growth,shoot yield, dry matter and proximate composition ofAmaranthus cruentus on poor soil augmented with compostor AMF either singly or in combination.Methods The experiment was arranged in completelyrandomized designed in six replicates with four treatments.Four treatments: comprised control and three otheramendment types derived from the application of compostmade from cattle dung and maize stover, arbuscular mycorrhizafungi singly or in combination with compost. Thetreatments were applied a week before sowing to allow forproper mineralization. Growth characteristics, chlorophyllcontent, ascorbic acid content and proximate compositionwere assessed.Results The results revealed that the compost suppliedsufficient plant nutrients needed for improving biologicaland economic yields of Amaranthus cruentus . Applicationof compost significantly (P B 0.05) influenced growth, drymatter and fresh shoot yield of A. cruentus. Applying ofcombination AMF and compost to nutrient limiting soilhad no significant (P C 0.05) effect on yield and yieldcomponents of A. cruentus. Proximate composition of A.cruentus was significantly enhanced in pots augmentedwith compost better than pots amended with the combinationof AMF and compost.Conclusions Application of compost to nutrient deficientsoil promoted growth, fresh shoot and dry matter yield ofA. cruentus. Similarly, proximate composition of the cropwas appreciably influenced by compost application.