Poultry Manure Addition Affects Production, Plant Nutritional Status and Heavy Metals Accumulation in Green Amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus)

Poultry manure (PM) application may be critical as source of contaminants and may affect crop quality. Experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons to determine effects of PM on performance and quality of green amaranth including some minerals and heavy metals in soil and plant tissues. In both years, PM were applied at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 t∙ha-1. Application of PM increased soil chemical properties, leaf mineral content, growth and marketable yield of green amaranth compared with the control. Soil pH, organic matter, N and P and leaf mineral N and P were increased up to 40 t ha-1 PM, but soil and leaf K, Ca, Mg, ash, protein, fiber contents were increased up to 20 t ha-1 PM. The lowest fat was observed at 20 t ha-1 PM. Dry matter declined as PM level increased. The PM influenced soil and leaf As, Cu and Zn, the abundance of heavy metals in soil and green amaranth leaf increased as level of PM increased. In soil and green amaranth leaves, levels of As, Cu and Zn as affected by PM did not exceed maximum permissible limits. The best green amaranth quality was obtained at 20 t ha-1 PM and may likely provides a good balance between yield and economic outlay. © 2019 Friends Science Publishers Keywords: Amaranthus hybridus; As; Cu; Leaf mineral content; Soil chemical properties; Z

Evaluating non-consumptive household water uses in a growing urban centre in Nigeria

Efficient use of water could be partly achieved with sound management strategies of the non-consumptive uses (N-CUs) of water in homes being put in place. This research evaluated the non-consumptive water use component in Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. Data required for the investigation was generated from the administration of 325 questionnaires across the five Quarters into which the town is divided, out of which 269 were completed and retrieved. Both descriptive and inferential analysis of the data were carried out. Descriptive analysis showed that households engage absolutely in different non-consumptive uses such as bathing, clothe washing, drainage cleaning and dish washing while households’ engagement in other N-CUs were in varying proportions. The results of Factor Analysis (FA) revealed that five out of the 13 variables identified and analyzed with a minimum eigen value of 1.000 were strong explanatory variables of 73.674% when engaging in issues relating to N-CUs at household level. These are water use for the following (i) drainage cleaning (16.153%); (ii) Dish washing (15.922%); (iii) Toilet cleaning (14.547%); (iv) Auto-wash (14.238%); and Bathing (12.814%). Regression analysis (RA) of the data revealed that three variables namely clothe washing, Incidental washing and auto-washing were significant (p < 0.001) in generating predictive model of N-CUs of water in homes. The combined results of FA and RA implied that the set of variables in both analysis need to be considered in any issue involving the management and control of N-CUs of water in homes for a result-oriented water use efficiency at household level

Biochar, poultry manure and NPK fertilizer: sole and combine application effects on soil properties and ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) performance in a tropical Alfisol

Biochar has a low chemical composition and is recalcitrant to degradation. For good soil fertility and nutrient use efficiency of crops it becomes imperative that addition of a fast releasing nutrient source to biochar be sought. Therefore, studies were conducted in 2017 and 2018 to evaluate the effects of biochar with poultry manure (PM) and NPK fertilizer on soil properties, growth and yield of ginger. Treatments evaluated were: biochar applied alone at 15 t ha-1 , PM applied alone at 15 t ha-1, NPK fertilizer applied alone at 200 kg ha-1, biochar applied at 15 t ha-1 with poultry manure applied at 15 t ha-1 (B+PM), biochar applied at 15 t ha-1 with NPK fertilizer applied at 200 kg ha-1 (B+NPK) and a control with no amendment whatsoever. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replications. Biochar, PM, NPK fertilizer alone or B+PM and B+NPK improved soil physical and chemical properties, growth and yield of ginger compared to no amendment (control). NPK fertilizer did not improve soil physical properties nor increased pH, OM, Ca and Mg significantly. B+PM and B+NPK improved soil physical and chemical properties, growth and ginger yield compared to their sole forms. Although B+PM had better soil physical properties, B+NPK increased yield and growth of ginger compared to B+PM. B+NPK increased the yield of ginger by 12.2% and 10.6% in 2017 and 2018, respectively compared with B+PM. B+NPK also increased the yield of ginger by 49.2% and 50.3% in 2017 and 2018, respectively compared to biochar alone. This was related to high presence of nutrients in B+NPK especially N and K which are important for ginger rhizome formation