The Potential Use of Rabbit Urine as a Bio Fertilizer Foliar Feed in Crop Production

Abstract

The study was conducted at CITC Kapsabet College in Nandi Central District-Nandi County, Kenya. The objective was to determine the potential use of rabbit urine as a foliar feed fertilizer in crops. Rabbit urine was collected from a gutter fitted to a slatted floor of rabbit hutch and two replicate samples of concentrated urine 1000 ml each was collected and taken to National Agricultural Research Laboratory (NARL) Kabete, for nutrient urinalysis. Two samples of the control (commercial foliar feed fertilizer - CF) were also taken to NARL for nutrient analysis. Other 50 ml. samples were collected in duplicate and diluted at 0% (neat urine-F0%), 25%( F-25%) and 75% (F-75%). Undiluted urine and commercial fertilizer (CF) 100 ml were diluted at the recommended rate of 5 ml per liter and collected and taken to the same laboratory. The results of the rabbit urine laboratory nutrient analysis indicated that rabbit urine had better nutrients than CF since rabbit urine had 1.05% nitrogen, 0.01% phosphorus, 0.85% potassium and 0.12% calcium. Results also indicated that sample extracts from the different proportion of rabbit urine was the same [F (3, 30) =0.13, P>0.05]. The average yield per plot was highest for desmodium (2507 g), followed by oats (1790 g) and finally spinach (620 g) at F50 concentration, respectively and there was no significant difference of different proportions of rabbit urine on the biomass yield [F (3,8)=0.24, p>0.05]. The commercial fertilizer had N, P, K and Ca percentages of 0.70, 0.02, 0.02 and 0.002, respectively. The rabbit urine was basic (pH 8.5) while CF was acidic (pH 5.0). Rabbit urine was therefore determined to have a better nutrient composition than commercial foliar fed fertilizers. Desmodium had the highest yield of 2507 g. The urine was basic and hence it be integrated with the use of chemical fertilizers to improve crop yield and soil fertility by reducing soil acidity since it is a foliar feed. The study recommends that farmers should use the right proportion of water and rabbit urine on plants to promote better yield.