1. THE USE OF QUARRY DUST AND POULTRY
MANURE AS SUBSTITUTES FOR INORGANIC
FERTILIZER IN CUCUMBER PRODUCTION.
A C A S E S T U D Y O F T E C H I M A N M U N I C I PA L I T Y

2. INTRODUCTION
 Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) a member of the
Cucurbitaceae family which also includes squashes,
pumpkins, muskmelons, watermelons, and gourds, is
native of Asia and Africa, where it has been consumed
for 3,000 years. It is a popular fresh market vegetable in
salads and also is processed into oriental-type pickles in
other parts of the world.

3. INTRODUCTION CONTINUED
 It mostly has green skin with a very attractive bright
golden yellow to orange color when ripe.
 In Ghana, cucumber production is on the low side and,
the country is ranked 122nd in its production in the world
which is insignificant.
 It is however a popular fresh market vegetable which is
largely consumed in the country.

4. INTRODUCTION CONTINUED
 With respect to cucumber production, not much has been done
with quarry dust, at least nothing that has been put on records in
Ghana although it has been used in the production of other
vegetables such as carrots and onions in other countries (BBC,
2004). So the relevant questions that need to be answered are;
“can quarry dust be used at all in cucumber production? Can it
be substituted for inorganic fertilizer thereby reducing cost of
production in the growing of cucumbers?”

5. MAIN OBJECTIVES
 To determine whether or not, quarry dust is a better
substitute for inorganic fertilizer in the production of
cucumber.

6. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
 To assess the growth and yield of cucumber planted with
inorganic fertilizer (NPK), quarry dust and poultry
manure.
 To compare the cost benefit ratios of cucumber
.
production using NPK ,quarry dust and poultry manure.

7. LITERATURE REVIEW
 According to Paul kelbie, an independent writer in the
united kingdom in the article stone dust, rock dust, a
quarrying by-product, could revitalize barren soil and
reverse climate change

8. LITERATURE REVIEW CONT’S
 In the same article, Cameron and Moira
Thomson, activists in the quarry dust campaign
says “ We could cover the earth with rock dust
and start to absorb carbon in a more natural
fashion…”
 The couple claim the technique may also play a
significant role in the fight against climate
change as calcium and magnesium in the dust
converts carbon in the air into carbonates.

9. LITERATURE REVIEW CONT’S
 Quarry dust is cheap to obtain although its transportation
may be difficult and or expensive because it is bulky.
However, it must be stated that, upon series of
agricultural experimentations, it has been found to
supplement certain vital soil nutrients such as calcium
and magnesium. (B Reuben, 2013, use of rock dust in
bio-fertilizers)

10. LITERATURE REVIEW CONT’S
 These vital nutrients are required by plants in appropriate
quantities which the quarry dust readily makes available.
 It has been proven that, vegetables particularly do
extremely well when planted with quarry dust as
compared to any other form of fertilization(BBC, 2004)

11. LITERATURE REVIEW CONT’S
NB:
 The picture in the slide that follows shows the yield of
carrots grown with quarry dust and without quarry dust.

12. LITERATURE REVIEW CONTINUES

13. LITERATURE REVIEW CONT’S
 The British broadcasting cooperation (BBC) in the
month of April 2004 reported that, Cabbages the
size of footballs and onions that fill the palm of
your hand were then being grown in the barren soil
and harsh climate of a Scottish glen where nothing
had been grown for human consumption for the
past 58 years. This success was also attributed to
stone or quarry dust.

14. MATERIALS AND METHODS
THE MATERIALS NEEDED ARE
 Area of land
 Cucumber seeds (seeded)
 Ropes
 Laborers

15. MATERIALS AND METHODS CONTINUES
 Quarry dust
 Poultry droppings
 NPK fertilizer(15:15:15)
 Weedicides (round-up)

16. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
There shall be six treatments for the purpose of
this experiment and these are
 Organic manure(poultry based) ---represented
by TI
 Quarry dust -----------represented by T2
 Inorganic (NPK )----- represented by T3

17. MATERIALS AND METHODS CONTINUED
 Quarry dust and poultry dropping – represented by T4
 Inorganic(NPK) and quarry dust -- represented by T5
 Organic, inorganic and quarry dust --- represented by
T6
NB

18. :
The above stated experiment shall be replicated 5
times and laid out under the complete randomized
block design as follows. The results from the
experiment shall also be subjected to the analysis of
variance.

19. PLOT DESIGN
A(R1)
T1
T3
T2
T4
T6
T5
B(R2)
T3
T5
T6
T1
T4
T2
C(R3)
T6
T3
T2
T1
T5
T4
D(R4)
T2
T3
T4
T1
T6
T5
E(R5)
T3
T4
T1
T3
T2
T5

20. ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE (ANOVA) TABLE
SOURCES OF
VARRIATION
DEGREE OF FREEDOM
TOTAL
TREATMENT
REPLICATE
ERROR
29
5
4
20

21. METHODOLOGY CONTINUED
 The rates of application will be as about to be specified.
 1000-2000 kg of quarry dust per hector. 100g per plant
 117 kg of NPK per hector. 17g per plant
 1000kg of poultry droppings per hector. 100g per
hector. This estimation is for a field density of 10000
plants at a planting distance of 1meter 1 meter

22. DATA COLLECTION
Data to be collected through out the project are;
Germination percentage
The number of leaves per plant
The number of flowers per plant
The number of fruits per plant
Fruit weight
Cost of production
Proceeds generated

23. DATA ANALYSIS
 Data that will be collected as stated will be
subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA).

24. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results and discussion will be based on the
effects of the various fertilizers on the cucumber
with much emphasis placed on quarry dust as a
substitute for inorganic fertilizer.

25. EXPECTED OUTCOME
At the end of this work, the following shall be known.
 the cost and yield of cucumber produced with inorganic
fertilizer(NPK)
 The cost and yield of cumber grown with quarry dust.
 The cost and yield of cucumber grown with organic
fertilizer (Poultry droppings)
 The most feasible mode of fertilization for cucumber
production.

26. WORK SCHEDULE.
activities
October
1
Literature
review
Practical/
field work
Data
collection
Report
writing and
analysis
Submission
of report
2
3
November
4
1
2
3
December
4
1
2
3
January
4
1
2
3
February
4
1
2
3
march
4
1
2
3
4

27. REFERENCES
Hanna, H.Y. and A.J. Adams. 1991. Staking fresh market
cucumbers for higher yields: a long term research report.
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 104:237-240.
Hochmuth, G.J. (ed.) 1988. Cucumber production guide for
Florida. Fl. Coop. Ext. Serv. Circ. 101-E.

28. REFERENCES
Dunn, J. W., J. W. Berry, L. F. Kime, R. M. Harsh, and J. K. Harper.
Agricultural Alternatives: Developing a Roadside Farm Market.
University Park: Penn State Cooperative Extension, 2006.
Dunn, J. W., J. K. Harper, and L. F. Kime. Agricultural Alternatives:
Fruit and Vegetable Marketing for Small-Scale and Part-Time
Growers. University Park: Penn State Cooperative Extension,
2009.

29. AS PRESENTED BY
ACHIAA ELIZABETH
211AB01000019