Water use and grain yield response of rainfed soybean to tillage-mulch practices in southeastern Nigeria

Despite the agronomic, economic and food values of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill), there is still dearth of information on the tillage need and the implications of surface mulch for the crop in the eastern part of the forest-savanna transition zone of Nigeria. This study was therefore carried out on a sandy loam Ultisol at Nsukka with a sub-humid climate, during 2006 and 2007 cropping seasons. Our objective was to devise an appropriate tillage method for the crop from evaluated effects of no-till (NT), conventional tillage (CT) and mulch on selected key agronomic indices. Each of the NT and the CT was either unmulched (U) or mulched (M) in a split-plot, giving four treatments/tillage methods (NTU, NTM, CTU and CTM) randomized in four blocks. Rainfall was more favorable in the first than in the second season. The mean seasonal soil water storage (range, 99-109 mm) within 0.5-m soil layer differed among the treatments (NTU < CTU < NTM = CTM). However, for the first and second seasons, both water use (582-616 and 667-709 mm respectively) and grain yield (0.71-0.81 and 1.22-1.91 Mg ha-1 respectively) were not different. Mulch lowered the crop water use but had no influence on grain yield. Water use efficiency was enhanced with mulch only in the second season. Although either of the two mulch treatments (NTM/CTM) would be suitable for growing soybean especially in years of unfavorably distributed rainfall, NTM is a more rational choice than CTM. Rainfall adequacy at the critical reproductive stage of the crop showed to be a more important yield factor than the tested tillage methods

Tillage Effects on Maize Performance and Physical Properties of a Sandy Soil

The effects of six tillage methods on soil physical properties maize (Zea mays L.) germination, growth and yield were evaluated in field experiments during 1995 and 1996 cropping seasons. The selected treatments represented both conventional and conservation tillage practices common within the study area. The soil quality parameters analysed included moisture content, bulk density, porosity, shear strength and cone index. Results showed significant (

Efekti aktivne filtracije tretmanom sa ugljem na procenu kvaliteta vode

Activated carbon has been identified as one of the major favoured water treatment technique because of its multifunctional nature without further detriment to the treated water. In this study, varying masses of the activated carbon from palm kernel (PK) shells were weighed at intervals to treat the water samples obtained at different locations. Location A is Otamiri River, in FUTO community while location B is Umuariagha River, in Ikwuano Local Government area of Abia state. The water samples collected were then analyzed using standard equipments. Results of the analyses revealed that the water quality parameters in the samples were highly reduced after treatment except for parameters like Nitrate ,with values 24.17 mg/L to 27.3 mg/L in location A; 4.73 mg/L to 7.9 mg/L in location B, Iron with values 1.0 mg/L to 0.42 mg/L in location A; 0.75 mg/L to 0.38mg/L in location B, and total bacteria coliform count with values 30 to 26 cfu/ml in location A; 28 to 24 cfu/ml in location B, showed little effect but confirm to standard for agricultural uses. Furthermore, these values are within the ranges recommended by FAO for irrigation uses. In conclusion, these water samples should be subjected to further treatment processes such as boiling before being used for drinking.Aktivni ugalj je identifikovan kao jedna od glavnih tehnika prečišćavanja vode zbog svoje multifunkcionalne prirode bez daljnjeg oštećenja tretirane vode. U ovoj studiji su izmerene mase aktivnog uglja dobijenog od ljuski palminog ploda (PK) u intervalima da bi se tretirali uzorci vode dobijeni na različitim lokacijama. Lokacija A je reka Otamiri, u zajednici FUTO, dok je lokacija B reka Umuariagha, u oblasti lokalne samouprave IKVUANO u državi Abia, Nigerija. Uzorci vode su analizirani standardnom opremom. Rezultati analiza pokazuju da su parametri kvaliteta vode u uzorcima posle tretmana visoko smanjeni, osim za parametre poput nitrata, sa vrednostima od 24,17 mg/L do 27,3 mg/L na lokaciji A; 4,73 mg/L do 7,9 mg/L na mestu B, i sadržaj gvožđa ima vrednosti od 1,0 mg/L do 0,42 mg/L na lokaciji A; 0,75 mg / L do 0,38 mg / L na mestu B. Ukupan broj koliformnih bakterija sa vrednostima 30 do 26 cfu/ml na lokaciji A; 28 do 24 cfu / ml na lokaciji B, pokazuje male efekte filtracije, ali potvrđuje kao standard za poljoprivrednu upotrebu. Pored toga, ove vrednosti su u granicama koje preporučuje FAO za upotrebu za potrebe korišćenja kod navodnjavanja. Zaključno je, da ove uzorke vode, treba podvrgnuti daljim postupcima obrade filtracije, i zagrevanja (ključanja), pre upotrebe za piće