1.1 Introduction
Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.) is an important leaf and seed vegetable indigenous to Southern Nigeria and grown in the forest zone of West and Central Africa (Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone being the major producers). It probably originated in south east Nigeria and distributed by Igbos who have been cultivating this crop since time immemorial (Shippers, 2000). In Africa indigenous vegetables remain popular in rural areas where they are often considered to be more nutritive than exotic vegetables (Horsfall and Spiff, 2005). Fluted pumpkin is a member of the family Cucurbitaceae and is a leafy green vegetable that has been widely accepted as a dietary constituent more popular in the south eastern states of Nigeria (Akwaowo et al., 2000). Despite the nutritive values obtainable from fluted pumpkin, it is a common observation that the demands far exceed the supply of fluted pumpkin as a vegetable crop resulting in scarcity which increases cost. There is therefore, the need to increase the productivity of the crop by improving the soil condition upon which it is grown.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
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