Soil hydraulic conductivity and its influence on water status of Lolium perenne, L. seedlings

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D74456/87 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Effect of Organic Materials With and Without Mineral Fertilizer on Grain Yield and Nutrient Contents of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) in ohe Sudano-Sahelian Ecological Zone of Nigeria.

The inherently low fertility of most of the soils of savanna regions particularly in North-east Nigeria is a factor limiting the development of sustainable agricultural systems. Consequently, maintenance of soil fertility and management of soil for sustained and continuous crop production are essential components of the overall management of the soil. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the effect of these soil amendment materials on the yield and nutrient contents of Millet grain grown in the study area. Field experiment involving the application of three different types of organic materials; compost, farm yard manure (FYM) and municipal refuse (MR) applied at 7.5 t/ha alone and in combination with half (30:15:15) the recommended rate of NPK and full (60:30:30) recommended rate of NPK fertilizer was conducted. The trial therefore consist of nine treatments, replicated three times and laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), carried out at the Teaching and Research Farms, University of Maiduguri, North-east Nigeria. Application of FYM + ½ (30:15:15) NPK, and compost + ½ NPK increased the yield of millet (3050 and 1609 kg ha-1) respectively over the control treatment (790 kg ha-1), and resulted in improved physical and chemical properties of the soil than the use of organic materials or inorganic fertilizer alone. Although differences in nutrient content of grain were not significantly affected by the treatments, application of FYM alone gave higher N (14.70 g kg-1) and P (12.00 g kg-1) contents over the remainingtreatments, which were found to correlate significantly with N and P uptake by the millet crop at tillering and booting stages. Calcium and Mg were higher (14.00 g kg-1 and 12.14 g kg-1) in treatments with MR when applied with ½ NPK than other treatments. It was evident that the use of organic materials in combination with inorganic fertilizer increased grain yield of millet nutrient content in addition to the reduction of organic wastes. Farmers in the region are advised to prepare good quality compost using farm weeds and leguminous residues before the onset of the rainy season to realize the yield potential of millet on the soils of the study area that are inherently low in fertility status.Key words: Compost, Farm Yard Manure, Municipal refuse, Mineral fertilizer

Utilizing urban refuse wastes as soil amendment in sub-Saharan Africa: Prospects and challenges in the Nigerian context

The challenge of effectively managing the huge wastes generated in most Nigerian cities raises serious environmental concerns with environmental pollution and ecological deterioration being the most serious concerns. Most municipal authorities responsible for evacuation of town refuse wastes lack the capacity to effectively manage the huge volumes of wastes generated on daily basis due to a number of reasons prominent of which include population explosion, urbanization, industrialization and economic growth. Application of urban refuse wastes (URW) to crop fields offers means of correcting many of the problems associated with collection and disposal of URW in Nigeria. Utilizing organic solid wastes on agricultural fields is an important way of effectively increasing soil organic carbon sequestration and supplying nutrients for crop plants. Proper sorting and composting of the URW has been shown to not only improve the quality of the wastes as organic amendment, but also help in correcting many of the health and environment related challenges associated with its direct application to agricultural lands. This review presents the results of research findings on utilization of URW as organic amendment and also highlights the constraints, prospects and the sustainability for utilizing URW as bio-fertilizer. It reveals that the average solid wastes generated in most Nigerian cities have a large fraction of organic materials that could easily be utilized as bio-fertilizer. Suggestions on ways to reduce some of the problems associated with land application of URW are proffered. Possible ways for improving the quality of URW intended for use as organic amendment are also suggested

Decline in agricultural activity around Lake Chad: Any prospect for restoration? A Review

Lake Chad that has been an economic hub for centuries has in the last few decades witnessed continued degradation threatening food security and livelihood of the population who depend on the lake for a living. The impact of depletion of the lake is being felt by an estimated 30 million people from the four riparian states, namely: Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. This paper focuses on the causes of low agricultural activity around Lake Chad with particular emphasis on crop production. The paper also highlights the prospects for reviving agricultural activity through implementation of innovative soil management techniques. Analysis of the literature revealed that in addition to devastating effects of violent armed conflict on livelihood conditions in this region, frequent drought, dwindling rainfalls, degraded soils and sparser vegetation cover are among the factors responsible for the low agricultural activity in this region where a large proportion of the population relies on rainfed agriculture. The review revealed that organic farming practices that support biodiversity has the potential for besides improving soil health and reduce pest pressure, also improve crop yields and protect the environment. Furthermore, the use of biofertilizers to reduce the dependence on conventional inorganic fertilizers by farmers offers the means of mitigating the declining soil mineral nutrient reserves in this region. It is envisaged that restoring the lake to its near original state coupled with improving the productivity of the fragile soils will go a long way in addressing the challenges of food insecurity, a major factor stabilizing factor in the area. &nbsp