Unveiling the Enigmas of Night Soil Composting: Boosting Carrot Length, Diameter, and Weight in Ruhango District, Southern Province, Rwanda.

Abstract

This research investigated the efficacy of night soil composting as a sustainable agricultural practice to enhance carrot growth in Ruhango District, Southern Province, Rwanda. The study employed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four distinct treatments: local soil + night soil (T1), sandy soil + night soil (T2), local soil from the field (T3), and sandy soil only (T4 - Control). Each treatment was replicated four times to ensure robust statistical analysis.

The results demonstrated that treatments incorporating night soil (T1 and T2) consistently outperformed both the control group (T4) and local soil without night soil (T3). Carrots in T1 exhibited significant increases in length (23.5 cm), diameter (4.2 cm), and weight (82.5 grams). T2 also showed substantial improvements with mean values of 22.8 cm, 4.0 cm, and 80.7 grams for length, diameter, and weight, respectively. Treatment 3 (T3) provided modest growth enhancements compared to the control group, reinforcing the potential benefits of soil amendments. The control group (T4) represented baseline growth metrics.

In conclusion, night soil composting, particularly when integrated into local and sandy soils, emerged as a promising strategy to significantly enhance carrot production in Ruhango District. These findings offer valuable insights for sustainable agricultural practices, emphasizing the potential of night soil composting to improve crop yields and food security in similar agricultural regions. Further research and practical implementations are warranted to explore the scalability and long-term sustainability of this innovative approach.Top of Form