Response of Selected Soil Chemical Properties and Maize Yields as Affected by Animal Wastes Application in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. V. Ogbenna ◽  
V. E. Osodeke

Aim: A pot experiment was carried out to determine the effect of sawdust ash and lime (Ca(OH)2) on soil characteristics and yield of sunflower in acidic soil of southeastern Nigeria. Study Design: The experiment was laid out in split-plot design, using sawdust ash (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 t ha-1) as the sub plot and lime (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 t ha-1) as the main plot. Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted outdoors at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Nigeria, during the 2010 planting season. Materials and Methods: Treatment combinations were applied to the 60 buckets containing soil, mixed thoroughly and watered adequately. After 1 week of treatment application, two sunflower seeds were planted and later thinned to one seedling per bucket. Plant growth and yield data were collected. Pre planting and post-harvest soil samples were collected and analyzed for soil properties. Results: Results showed that with the exception of organic carbon there was significant effect of treatments on all soil chemical properties. Lime and sawdust ash (SDA) as single and combined treatments significantly increased total nitrogen (P=0.05), available phosphorus (P<0.010), and base saturation (P<0.012). The interaction between SDA and lime significantly (P=0.05) increased total exchangeable bases and effective cation exchange capacity, while soil pH was significantly increased (P=0.05) by single applications. The increases in soil chemical properties led to significant positive response of the sunflower. With the exception of number of leaves, other plant parameters (Plant height, stem diameter, head weight, 50 seed weight, head diameter) had significant increases for sawdust ash alone at P=0.05. Correlation studies showed positive significant relationship between soil pH and sunflower yield. Conclusion: The study showed that sunflower performed best at the combination of 3 tha-1 SDA and 1.5 t ha-1 lime producing a mean head weight of 45.4 g.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Tristantia Anggita ◽  
Zainal Muktamar ◽  
Fahrurrozi Fahrurrozi

Recently, application of liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) in organic farming practices is of importance to prevent further soil degradation due to prolong and massive use of synthetic fertilizer. LOF provides faster plant nutrients than soil organic fertilizer. However, quality of LOF is substantially dependent on its sources. Animal wastes from rabbit, goat, and cattle are scarcely used as sources of LOF production. The study aimed to determine soil chemical improvement and potassium uptake by mung bean  as affected by LOF in Ultisol. The experiment was conducted at the Greenhouse Faculty of Agriculture, employing Completely Randomized Design with two factors. The first factor was animal wastes, consisting of goat, rabbit, and cattle wastes. The second factor was LOF concentration, consisting of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% LOF. LOF was prepared by mixing altogether animal feces, urine, soil, green biomass, EM-4 and fresh water to total volume of 10 l in a plastic container. LOF was decanted to the polybag every week starting at one week after planting for four weeks to a total volume of 750 ml per polybag. Variables observed included soil pH, total organic-C, exchangeable K, soil nitrate-N, K concentration in plant tissue, K-uptake, and shoot dry weight of sweet corn The result showed that application of LOF from rabbit waste had the highest increment of soil pH as compared to the other treatment. However, exchangeable K was observed highest at the treatment of LOF from goat waste. Sources of LOF from animal wastes did not have an effect on K-uptake by mung bean. In addition, application of LOF up to 100% was able to improve soil chemical properties as indicated by the increase in soil pH and exchangeable K. So did the concentration and uptake of K, as well as shoot dry weight. Fertilization with LOF has benefit to the improvement of soil chemical properties leading to better K uptake.


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