**PRE-PLANTING OPERATIONS**
**SITE SELECTION:** Land behind the Faculty of Agriculture at Uniport, Abuja, was chosen for crop cultivation.
**LAND PREPARATION:** Hired laborers manually cleared the land and formed ridges. Effective soil preparation is crucial for root establishment and nutrient absorption. Ridges promote drainage, oxygen exchange, and temperature optimization, reducing waterlogging and erosion in high rainfall areas.
**MANURE