Granite Dusts and Poultry Manure Effects on Growth Performance and Yield of Maize (Zea Mays L.)

Poultry manure is rich in organic manure since solid and liquid wastes are excreted together and there is no urine loss. Comparative studies of the effects of various rates of granite dust and poultry manure were tested on maize performance in field trials at Akure, Nigeria between 2011 and 2012 cropping seasons.  The treatments involved were: Control(No treatment application), 2tha1 granite dust; 3tha1 poultry manure + 0.5tha1 granite dust; 2tha1 poultry manure + 1tha1 granite dust; 1tha1 poultry manure+ 1.5tha1 granite dust; 4tha1 poultry manure and 200kgha1 of NPK fertilizer. Agronomic parameters observed on maize at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12weeks after planting were plant height, stem girth, number of leaves.  At harvest, cob weight, plant biomass, grains weight per cob and husk weight were also measured. Equally, the ratio of root to stem and leaf of maize were investigated. It was found out that application combined application of granite dust and poultry manure improved the growth and yield quality of maize compared with the control. Maize treated with 3tha1 poultry manure + 0.5tha1 granite dust promote the growth and yield parameter of maize  to a level of the standard recommended fertilizer rate of 200kgha1 of NPK fertilizer in the ecological zone of the southwestern Nigeria. Keywords: Poultry manure, granite dusts, agronomic parameters, ratio, promote

Influence of Mycorrhizae and Rhizobium Inoculation on Growth, Nutrient Uptake and Proximate Composition of Upland Rice Cultivars

The activities of microbial rhizospheric organisms have been well documented in non-leguminous plants such as wheat, rice and maize. Such activities include nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization and mineralization that are beneficial for the overall growth and development of the plant. Field experiments were carried out in the early and late cropping season of 2013 in the tropical rainforest agro-ecology of southwest Nigeria to study the growth promotion, nutrient uptake, proximate composition of upland rice and harvested grains based on single inoculation of Mycorrhizae and Rhizobium. A 5 x 3 factorial experiment was conducted; five upland rice varieties selected with and without the application of mycorrhizae and rhizobium, laid out in split plot arrangement, with mycorrhizae and rhizobium in the main block, while variety was in the sub-plot. Each treatment was replicated three times. In both seasons, result show significant (P < 0.05) effect of single mycorrhizae and rhizobium inoculation on plant growth (plant height, numbers of tillers and leaves) and plant biomass except for shoot weight in the late season. Also, result show significant (P < 0.05) effect of single mycorrhizae and rhizobium inoculation on nutrient uptake in both seasons. Significant (P < 0.05) effect of single mycorrhizae and rhizobium inoculation was observed in proximate composition of rice grains in the early season, with rhizobium inoculated rice having the highest protein content. It was concluded that upland rice inoculation with mycorrhizae and rhizobium  improved their nutrient uptake, proximate composition and growth. Keywords: Mycorrhizae, rhizobium, upland rice, nutrient uptake, growth, proximate compositio

Soil Phosphorus Availability and Eucalypt Phosphorus Uptake from Soluble and Insoluble Sources of Phosphorus

P recovery efficiency from natural rock phosphates and a concentrated phosphate by Eucalyptus grandis plantation in relation to triple superphosphate was evaluated in field trials conducted in the cerrado area of Brazil. Two experiments were carried out in two sites of the Savanna area of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The rates of the natural phosphates (RP)  Araxa and Patos de Minas(P2O5 24% and Ca 25%),  were 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 kg/ha and Arafertil (33% -P2O5 and 33% Ca)concentrated rock was tested using 1000kg/ha rate only. The triple superphosphate (TP = 45% -P2O5 and 13% Ca) was applied at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 kg/ha. Mehlich -1 and Bray -1 extractants were used to extract P from the soil. The concentration of P extracted varied with the reagent used.  Mehlich-1 extracted about 38.8% more P over the Bray -1 extractant at both sites, although, in one of the sites the extraction was 18% higher than the other. On both experimental sites, application of phosphate from both natural and concentrated forms increased tree height, stem volume and above ground dry matter production, but there was no difference between them at the rate of 1000 kg/ha. P-fixing capacity by trees increased with increasing soil P utilization efficiency. P recovery by the trees varied from 3 to 11% depending on rates and source. But P fixing capacity was higher for TP than for RP. Keywords: Araxa rock, concentrated arafertil; recovery efficiency, P-fixing capacity and eucalypt