THE EFFECT OF SOME ORGANIC SOIL AMENDMENTS ON SELECTED SOIL PROPERTIES AND MAIZE YIELD
ABSTRACT A study on the “Effect of Some Organic Soil Amendments on Selected Soil Properties and Maize Yield was conducted at the Soil Science and Land Resources Management Research Farm, Faceulty of Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The experiment was laid out in Randomizd Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments, replicated four times. The treatments include: Poultry Dropping (PD), Rice Husk (RH), Pig Waste (PW), and Cassava Peels (CP) at the rate of 20 tons/ha, with the fifth as where No Amendment was applied (NA). Data on some soil physical and chemical properties as well as some plant parameters were collected and subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and means were separated with Least Significant Difference (LSD) using GENSTAT (2007) statistical software package. It was discovered that the organic soil amendments were significantly influenced: organic carbon content of the soil, available P, exchangeable aluminum, cation exchange capacity, bulk density, total porosity and moisture content of the amended plots than the plots not amended (P<0.05). Organic amendment produced taller maize plants at 14, 28, 42, 56 and 70 days after planting. Organic amendments positively influenced physicochemical properties of the soil and increased maize yield. Poultry droppings, rice husk and pig waste could be recommended for the enhancement of soil physicochemical properties as well as maize production on a sustainable base in the area under study.
Keywords: Soil Amendments, yield of maize, organic amendment, Soil properties.
TABLE OF CONTENTS (THE EFFECT OF SOME ORGANIC SOIL AMENDMENTS ON SELECTED SOIL PROPERTIES AND MAIZE YIELD)
Title Page……………………………………………………………………………… i
Certification…………………………………………………………………………… ii
Dedication……………………………………………………………………………… iii
Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………… v
Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………. vi
List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………….. vii
List of Plates…………………………………………………………………………… viii
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………….. ix
CHAPTER ONE 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER TWO 4
2.0 Literature Review 4
2.1 Poultry Manure as Soil Amendments 5
2.2 Cassava Peels as Soil Amendments 6
2.3 Rice Husks as Soil Amendments 7
2.4 Pig Waste as Soil Amendments 8
CHAPTER THREE 10
3.0 Materials and Methods 10
3.1 Site Description 10
3.2 Maize Cultivar 10
3.3 Experimental Design 10
3.4 Experimental Layout (RCBD) 11
3.5 Cultural Practices 11
3.6 Soil Sample Collection and Preparation 12
3.7 Soil Sample Analysis 12
3.7.1 Physical Analysis 12
3.7.2 Chemical Analysis 13
3.8 Data Collection on Plant Parameters 14
3.8.1 Growth Parameters 14
3.8.2 Yield Parameters 14
3.9 Data Analysis 14
CHAPTER FOUR 15
4.0 Results and Discussion 15
4.1 The Effect of Organic Amendments on Some Soil Physical Properties 17
4.1.1 Soil Physical Properties 17
4.2 The Effect of Organic Amendments on Some Soil Chemical Properties 19
4.2.1 Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) 19
4.2.2 Exchangeable Acidity 19
4.2.3 Exchangeable Bases: 19
4.2.4 Organic Carbon and Soil PH 19
4.2.5 Potassium and Available Phosphorus 20
4.3 Effect of Soil Amendments on Some Growth Parameters at 4 Weeks
After Planting 22
4.4 Effect of Soil Amendments on Some Growth Parameters at 8 Weeks
After Planting 24
4.5 Effect of Some Soil Amendments on Some Yield Parameters 26
CHAPTER FIVE 28
5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations 28
REFERENCES 29
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1: INITIAL SOIL PROPERTIES OF THE EXPERIMENTAL SITE
TABLE 2: CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE AMENDMENTS
TABLE 3: THE EFFECT OF ORGANIC AMENDMENT ON SOME SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
TABLE 4: THE EFFECT OF ORGANIC AMENDMENT ON SOME SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
TABLE 5: EFFECT OF SOIL AMENDMENTS ON SOME GROWTH PARAMETERS AT 4 WEEKS AFTER PLANTING
TABLE 6: EFFECT OF SOIL AMENDMENTS ON SOME GROWTH PARAMETERS AT 8 WEEKS AFTER PLANTING
TABLE 7: EFFECT OF SOIL AMENDMENTS ON THE YIELD PARAMETERS
LIST OF PLATES
Plate1: SOME EXPERIMENTAL PLOTS
Plate2: HARVESTED MAIZE
Plate3: SOIL SAMPLE UNDERGOING PREPARATION BEFORE LABORATORY ANALYSIS
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Soil fertility maintenance is a major concern in the tropics (Okonkwo et al., 2011). When a soil is cultivated continuously its productivity gradually decreases due to depletion of organic matter which is believed to be a reservoir of plant nutrients (Eneje and Uzoukwu, 2012; Ebaid and El-Refaee, 2007).Alley and Vanlauwe (2009) defined soil fertility as the capacity of soil to retain, cycle and supply essential nutrients for plant growth over extended periods of time.Nutrient depletion rates are field specific, depending on the way each particular field has been managed over decades (Sanchez et al., 1997) hence the replenishment should also be field/site specific for effective results. The proportion of nutrients loss is normally greater in sandy soils because soil organic matter (SOM) particles are less protected from microbial decomposition in sandy soils than in loamy or clayey soils (Swift et al., 1994).Cropping may lead to erosion and leaching of soil nutrients which in turn, adversely affect the physical and chemical properties of the soil and are strong limitations to crop production (Igwe et al., 1995). Organic material added to the soil is to ensure the sustainability of the land and to protect the productivity. The concept of nutritional quality includes beneficial and harmful ingredients, taste, fragrance, freshness and shelf-life (Köpke, 2005) as well as the risk of toxic pathogens (Sagoo et al., 2001 Mengel et al. (2001) reported that, in organic fertilizers such as farmyard manure, slurries and green manure have most plant nutrients which include potassium, magnesium and phosphate and are present in an inorganic form. Soil fertility replenishment should be considered as an investment in natural resource capital (Sanchez et al., 1997). Reversing soil fertility depletion is one of the requirements for increasing per capital agricultural production in Africa (Sanchez and Leakey, 1997).
Fertilization in tropical agriculture has the potential to dramatically increase production due to the highly weathered soils and the limited reserves of nutrients (Stewart et al., 2005) and therefore should be at the core of strategies to restore soil fertility and raise crop productivity.
Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important grain crops in Africa and is produced almost throughout the continent under diverse environments. It belongs to the cereal family that has added great value to man and animals. It ranks third following wheat and rice in world production (FAO, 2002). Widely grown in the humid tropics and sub-Saharan Africa, It serves as food and livelihood for millions of people today (Enujeke, 2013). It is consumed roasted, baked, fried, boiled or fermented in Nigeria (Agbato, 2003). As an energy supplement in livestock feed, it is cherished by various species of animals and as an energy supplement in livestock feed (DIPA, 2006).The numerous uses of maize notwithstanding, yield in Africa has continuously declined as low as 1t/ha due to such factors as rapid reduction in soil fertility and negligence of soil amendments materials. Currently chemical fertilizers are beyond the reach of farmers due to high price, though the post harvest use of crop residue for soil management is competing with other uses such as construction, feeding, fencing and fuel. Use of organic soil amendments (Cassava peel, pig waste, poultry droppings and rice husk) helps take remedial measures in fertility management and boosting the production: much research have not been carried out with regards to organic soil amendment using maize as a case study. The use of organic manures is considered less likely to have detrimental effect on soil physico-chemical properties compared to inorganic fertilizers.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different soil amendments on the physicochemical properties of the soil and the influence on growth and yield of maize, with specific objectives as:
- To evaluate the effect of some soil amendments on some soil physical and chemical properties.
- To determine the effect of the soil amendments on maize growth and yield.
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