scholarly journals Effect of Inorganic Fertilizer on Soil Properties, Growth and Yield of Maize in Makurdi, Southern Guinea Savanna Zone of Nigeria

2020 ◽  
pp. 16-24
Author(s):  
A. Ali ◽  
M. Usman ◽  
S. O. Ojeniyi

Field experiment was conducted with the objective to determine the effect of inorganic fertilizer on soil properties, growth and yield of maize at the Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Southern Guinea Savanna Zone of Nigeria, during 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons. The experimental treatments consisted of 0, 75, 150 and 300 kg ha-1 of NPK fertilizer laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated thrice. Soil samples were collected from a plough layer of 0-15 cm before and after the experiment for each cropping season according to the treatments and were analyzed for particle size distribution (PSD), soil pH, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus, exchangeable cations and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Maize plant (growth and yield) data collected were subjected to analysis of variance after which significant means were separated using least significant difference (LSD) at P < 0.05. From the results, the effects of fertilizer treatments on soil properties investigated were significant. Application of fertilizer increased soil organic matter (SOM), TN and CEC in both cropping seasons. However, the SOM was low in all plots with no application of fertilizer. Exchangeable bases, base saturation and CEC reduced in 2017 in no fertilizer treatments but remarkably increased in 2018 due to application of 75, 150 and 300 kg ha-1. The 300 kgha-1 NPK fertilizer applications produced higher growth and yields of maize plant than remaining treatments. Similarly, soil properties (soil pH, SOM, TN and CEC) were also improved with application higher levels of mineral fertilizers for agricultural production.

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
S. Y. Abdulmaliq ◽  
Y. A. Abayomi ◽  
M. O. Aduloju ◽  
O. Olugbemi

A field study was carried out across two cropping seasons (2010 and 2011) to explore the effects of curing periods of cow dung and poultry droppings used in soil amendment on the performance of two okra (Abelmoschus esculentusL.) varieties: NHAe 47-3 and LD 88-1. The effects of cow dung and poultry droppings cured for 3, 6, and 9 weeks were compared to that of NPK fertilizer (100 kg N ha−1and 60 kg ha−1each of P2O5and K2O) and a control (no amendment). The application of organic amendment cured for 3 to 6 weeks enhanced the growth and yield of okra when compared with inorganic fertilizer or the unamended soil across the two cropping seasons. Based on this outcome, the use of adequate quantity of livestock droppings cured for 3–6 weeks, in case of poultry dropping, and for 6 weeks, in case of cow dung, is recommended as an alternative to inorganic fertilizer. The variety NHAe 47-4 was also demonstrated to give better yield (1.73 and 2.18 t ha−1) than LD 88-1 (1.63 and 1.80 t ha−1) in the years 2010 and 2011, respectively.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donatus Felix Uwah ◽  
V. E. Eyo

<p>Alternative sources of plant nutrients have now become highly imperative especially for vegetable crop production in Nigeria. Due to the escalating costs, environmental and health problems associated with excessive use of inorganic fertilizers on continuously cropped fields, there is a need for more research on the use of organic manures and residues. A field experiment was conducted in the late growing season from September to December, 2012 in Calabar, a humid forest agroecology in south eastern Nigeria to evaluate the effects of two types of goat manure (GM) application (single and double split doses), five rates of GM (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) and 400kg ha<sup>-1 </sup>NPK fertilizer (120:60:60 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) rate on soil chemical properties and agronomic performance of sweet maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L. saccharata Strut). Factorial combinations of the treatments were fitted into a randomized complete block design with three replications. The application of GM significantly (P ? 0.05) increased soil pH, organic matter (OM) content, total N, available P, exchangeable K, Ca, Mg and the cation exchange capacity (CEC) status of the soil. Soil exchangeable acidity (EA) was reduced from 1.76 to 0.64 cmol kg<sup>-1</sup> at 20 t ha<sup>-1 </sup>GM rate. The 20 t ha<sup>-1 </sup>also recorded the highest values for soil pH, OM, P, Ca, Mg and CEC, while the values for residual N and K peaked at the NPK fertilizer treatment. The double split application of GM recorded higher values for growth and yield attributes, and increased soil properties than the single application. Growth and yield parameters such as plant height, number of leaves, leaf area index (LAI), total dry matter (TDM), number and weight of grains/ear and total grain yield were significantly (P <span style="text-decoration: underline;">&lt;</span> 0.05) increased by GM and NPK fertilizer treatments. The values obtained for all growth and yield parameters except LAI at the 20 t ha<sup>-1</sup> GM rate were not significantly different from those at the NPK fertilizer treatments. The application of 5, 10, 15 and 20 t ha<sup>-1 </sup>GM, and NPK fertilizer significantly increased TDM by 11.9, 74.3, 91.9, 106.2 and 104.6%; weight of grains/ear by 16.5, 54.6, 61.4, 100.6 and 94.4% and total grain yield by 46.9, 111.7, 121.0, 127.2 and 140.1% respectively, compared with the control treatment. The interactions between number of applications and rates showed that split applying GM at 20 t ha<sup>-1 </sup>maximized TDM, weights of whole and dehusked green ears and total grain yield compared to other GM rates, hence it is recommended.</p>


2020 ◽  
pp. 14-25
Author(s):  
A. Ali ◽  
M. Usman ◽  
S. O. Ojeniyi

The experiment was conducted during 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Southern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria to determine the performance of maize as influenced by tillage and fertilizer treatments. The experimental design consisted of two factors. Tillage (flat, ridges, zero and heap tillage) and fertilizer (0, 75, 150 and 300 kgha-1 of NPK 15:15:15). Treatments were laid out in a factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated three times. A composite soil sample was obtained from a plough layer (0-15 cm) at the beginning and at the end of each experiment according to the treatments and analyzed for particle size distribution, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchangeable cations as well as cation exchange capacity (CEC). Data collected for the growth and grain yield of maize were subjected to analysis of variance after which significant means were separated using least significant difference (LSD) at P<0.05. Results indicated that there were significant effects of tillage and fertilizer treatments with respect to all parameters studied. However, ridges and heap at 300 kgha-1 NPK fertilizer applications gave the best results and produced higher growth and grain yield of maize as a result of improved access to soil nutrients when compared with flat or zero tillage. Similarly, increasing the quantity of NPK fertilizer resulted in increase in the growth and yield of maize crops. This implies that growth and yields of maize crops could still response to higher fertilizer rates which needs further investigation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
F. Mintah ◽  
Y. Z. Mohammed ◽  
S. Lamptey ◽  
B. D. K. Ahiabor

Inoculating groundnut and cowpea with highly effective and competitive rhizobial strain improves nodulation. A field experiment was carried out at the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, to evaluate the growth and yield responses of cowpea and groundnut to five rhizobial inoculant strains in the Guinea Savanna zone. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with eight (8) treatments replicated four (4) times. The treatments included five rhizobial inoculant strains (NC 92, KNUST 1002, KNUST 1003, KNUST 1006, and BR 3267), two N fertilizer levels (20 kg·N/ha and 40 kg·N/ha), and a control. The results showed that rhizobial inoculation and N fertilizer application increased nodulation, biomass yield, pod number, pod weight, hundred seed weight, nodule dry weight, and pod yield of groundnut compared with the control. Rhizobial inoculation averagely increased the nodulation and yield by 63 and 67%, respectively, compared with the control. Mineral N fertilizer (20 kg N/ha) on average increased the nodulation and yield by 24 and 25%, respectively, compared with the control plots. It can be recommended from this study that, in the absence of highly competitive rhizobial strains such as KNUST 1006 and NC 92 as biofertilizers for increasing the nodulation and yield of cowpea and groundnut, 20 kg·N/ha can be used for the purpose. Further research is recommended using these rhizobial strains in combination with lower rates of N fertilizers (<20 kg·ha−1).


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-26
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Imoloame ◽  
Kafayat Ahmed

Field experiments were conducted during the 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons at the Teaching and Research (T & R) Farm of the College of Agriculture, Kwara State University, Malete, to determine the effect of cropping patterns on weed infestation, growth and yield of a maize/soybean intercrop in the southern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. The experiments consisted of six treatments as follows: one row of maize alternated with one row of soybean (1:1), one row of maize alternated with two rows of soybean (1:2), two rows of maize alternated with one row of soybean (2:1), two rows of maize alternated with two rows of soybean (2:2), sole maize (1:0) and sole soybean (0:1). The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and means were separated by the least significant difference (LSD) at the 5% level of probability. Results showed that sole soybean consistently suppressed weeds and resulted in a higher yield. Similarly, the 2:1 ratio of maize to soybean did not only reduce weed density, it produced significantly higher yields of maize and lower yield of soybean, and had the higher land equivalent ratio and economic returns followed by sole maize.


2021 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Ehiokhilen Kevin EIFEDIYI ◽  
Grace Adejoke ILORI ◽  
Henry Emeka AHAMEFULE ◽  
Abduquadir Yusuf IMAM

<p>Soils of the southern Guinea savanna zone of Nigeria are inherently infertile due to shortened fallow period and the continuous use of inorganic fertilizer which depletes the soil of micronutrients such as zinc over time. A field trial was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria during the 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons to evaluate the effect of zinc and NPK fertilizer on the growth, yield and zinc concentration of seeds of sesame. The experiment was laid out as a factorial fitted into a randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated thrice. The treatment consisted of four levels of ZnSO<sub>4</sub> (0, 5, 10 and 15 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) and four levels of NPK 15:15:15 (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>). Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were separated using new Duncan multiple range test at 5 % level of probability. Results obtained showed significant effects of Zn and NPK rates on plant height, number of leaves, yield per plot and yield per hectare. The application of 15 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> Zn and 300 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> (15:15:15) NPK resulted in high yield and high zinc content of seeds.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kulandaivelu Velmourougane ◽  
Angamuthu Manikandan ◽  
D. Blaise ◽  
Mageshwaran Vellaichamy

Abstract Cotton stalks, remaining after the cotton is harvested, are considered waste material and disposed of by burning. Presently, the supply of good quality manure, such as farmyard manure (FYM) is low. Thus, recycling of cotton stalks as compost can reduce the dependency on FYM apart from reducing inorganic fertilizer use and soil health enhancement. Some studies have reported on the conversion of cotton ginnery wastes into organic manure. However, no studies have reported about the composting of cotton stalks. We conducted field studies over three years on Vertisols to evaluate the impact of integrated use of microbially enriched cotton stalk compost (ECC) as an alternative to FYM along with mineral fertilizers in cotton production. Additionally, we evaluated an option of using native microbial consortia as seed treatment and their synergistic effect along with ECC application on cotton yield, fibre quality, and soil properties. Results indicated that the substitution of FYM with ECC in integrated nutrient management (INM) produced effects similar to that of FYM use in enhancing cotton yield and soil properties. Application of ECC + inorganic fertilizers (modified nutrient management practice) in soil increased boll numbers (8.4%), boll weight (9.9%), seed cotton yield (13%), fibre properties, soil nutrient, and biological activities, which were on par with FYM + inorganic fertilizer application. The use of ECC is estimated to reduce 50% costs on nitrogenous, phosphatic, and potassic fertilizers, and can save approximately US$ 34 ha− 1 on inorganic and manures in the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) and INM practice.


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