Growth and yield performance of Corchorus olitorious L. influenced by levels of poultry manure in Niger-Delta, Nigeria

A field study was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Delta State University, Asaba Campus in 2010 and in 2011 to investigate the effect of different levels of poultry manure on the growth and yield of Corchorus olitorious L. in Asaba, Nigeria. Seeds were sown at the rate of 15 × 30 cm achieving a population density of 222,222 plants/ha in a randomized completely block design, replicated 4 times. Poultry droppings were applied at the rate of 0, 10, 20 and 30 t/ha. Data were collected from net stands on plant height, stem girth, number of primary branches and number of leaves at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after planting (WAP). Harvest was done from 8 WAP by cutting method and weighed for total biomass and later oven dried at 80°C for 24 h for dry weight while 1000 seeds were weighed from each treatment. The result shows that the experimental site was poor in soil fertility. The plant height, girth, number of primary branches and leaves increased with age and application of poultry manure. The plant height (66.00±0.01 and 70.00±0.04), stem girth (4.40±0.02 and 4.60±0.05), number of leaves (50.82±0.02 and 56.10±0.04), fresh weight (21.90±0.05 and 23.62±0.10) and dry weight (5.10±0.02 and 5.49±0.05) were statistically similar at 20 and 30 t/ha while the number of primary branches and 1000 seed weight did not differ (P > 0.05) at application of poultry manure. This study hereby recommended that application of 20 t/ha of poultry manure may contribute to improve C. olitorious L. production.Keywords: Plant height, stem girth, number of primary branches, number of leaves, dry yield, fresh yield, seed yield, poultry manure, Corchorus olitorious, soil fertilizationAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(19), pp. 2575-258

Effect of mushroom (Pleurotus tuber-regium) inoculums on crude oil polluted soils on stover and grain yields of maize (Zea mays l.) In Niger-delta, Nigeria

Pollution of soils by crude oil in Niger-Delta of Nigeria has brought untold hardship to the inhabitants of the region. This study was carried out in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 to determine the effect of Pleurotus tuber-regium (mushroom) inoculums on crude oil polluted soil on stover and grain yields and as well as cob length and circumference of maize in Emu - Ebendo, Nigeria. The soils were polluted with crude oil at different levels (0 %, 3.0 %, 6.0 % and 9.0 %) by weight of the soil (20 kg) at 0, 2 and 4 weeks duration in the soil. The soils were inoculated with mushroom at 0 g, 150 g, 300 g and 450 g and were incubated for 6 months. The experiment was a 4 x 3 x 4 factorial in a randomized complete randomized design with four replicates. Two (2) seeds of maize were planted. At maturity the maize stalk (stover), cob and grain yield were harvested for stover yield, cob length and circumference and dry grain yield. The results obtained revealed the higher the crude oil application to the soil, the lower the stover yield, grain yields, cob length and cob circumference of maize in the order of 0 % > 3 % > 6 % > 9 %. The application of crude oil at 9% on 0 – 4 weeks of oil duration in the soil, resulted in no stover yield, grain yield, and cob length and cob circumference of maize. The application of different weights of mushroom inoculum to varying levels of crude oil polluted soil significantly (P < 0.05) increased the stover yields, cob’s length, cob’s circumference and grain yields of maize except at 150 g of mushroom application on 9 % level of crude oil pollution at 4 weeks of oil duration in the soil. Conclusively, the application of mushroom at varying levels in crude oil polluted soil increased the stover and grain yields and as well as of cob length and circumference of maize.Keywords: Crude oil, soil, mushroom, performance characteristic

Information flow on agronomic practices among oil palm farmers in delta state, Nigeria

The study focused on information flow on improved agronomic practices among oil palm farmers in Delta State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted in selecting 90 respondents and data were collected with the aid of well-structured and validated questionnaire. The data obtained from the study was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, means, standard deviation and percentages while the logit regression was used to test the hypothesis. The results of the study showed that majority (95.6%) of the respondents were males, small farm holders and 61.1% in the middle age group; literacy level of the respondents was also low. The regression analysis showed that age, marital status, education, gender and farm sizes significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the access of information to oil palm farmers in Delta State, Nigeria. There is the need for extension agents to intensify effort in improving, educating, and encouraging the farmers to share information on improved agronomic practices among themselves.Key Words: information flow, oil palm, agronomic practices, Delta Stat

The phenology of flowering in Citrullus lanatus (Thumb.) Mansf. in southwestern Nigeria

An optimal fruit set in water-melon is highly dependent on the appropriate timing of pollination. This study was conducted in two cropping seasons, to determine the most suitable and appropriate time of pollination of water- melon. Water-melon was sown at the rate of 2 seeds per hole at a spacing of 2 x 2 m. At floral induction, flower buds were tagged to monitor the number of male to female flower ratio, sequence of flower development and pollen rating from 5.00 to 19.00 hrs. The result of the study showed that, there were 50 - 100 males to 1 female flower. Flowers opened at a relatively fast rate in the morning till mid-day and closed gradually in the evening. Also, the pollen rating was highest between 6.00 and 11.00 hrs and subsequently declined steadily as the flower closed up at 18.00 hrs. The best period for pollination to obtain optimum fruit set in water-melon was therefore at stages 3 - 6 in this study which fell within 7.00 and 12.00 hrs.Keywords: Floral development, phenology, pollen rating, water-melo

Mineralization of Nitrogen in Hydromorphic Soils Amended with Organic Wastes

This paper present the results of nitrogen mineralization in hydromorphic (wetland) soils of the Niger Delta amended with organic wastes. The organic wastes amended soil generally showed a decrease in total inorganic (NO3-N+NH3-N) released within first 14 days, which increased thereafter. The nitrogen mineralized during 58 day of incubation ranged from 82.15 mg kg-1 to 281.60 mg kg-1 for fadamal soil, 54.50 mg kg-1 to 197.30 mg kg-1for meander belt soil and 98.50 mg kg-1 to 320.00 mg kg-1 for Mangrove soil (mangal acid sulphate soils). The order of cumulative nitrogen released in the waste amended soil followed the order: sewage sludge>kitchen waste> poultry manure> oil palm waste> cow manure. Total mineralized N indicated negative correlation with total organic N and C:N rati

Fractionation, characterization and speciation of heavy metals in composts and compost-amended soils

Speciation of heavy metals in soils determines the availability for metals for plant uptake and potential for contamination of groundwater following application of composts to agricultural lands. Methodsused to characterize heavy metals in solid phase of composts and compost amended soils include physical fractionation and chemical extraction. Chemical extraction schemes are most frequently usedapproach to fractionate trace metals in soils, sewage sludge and composts. Several variations exist in the sequential extraction procedures. These variations include reagent types, strength, volume and extraction time. A main drawback shared by all sequential extraction schemes is that the procedures themselves are complex and time consuming. This setback has been overcome by the use ofultrasound accelerated extraction which reduce the extraction time for the entire extraction steps to about 90 minutes allowing composting process to be monitored more frequently which help to providedetailed understanding of the partitioning behaviour of heavy metals. Inspite of the variability the sequential extraction schemes, they all aimed at correlating each fraction with the mobility and plantavailability of each metal. Several studies have shown that phase association of heavy metal in composts include water-soluble, exchangeable, precipitated as discrete phases, co-precipitate in metaloxides and adsorbed or complexed by organic ligands and residual forms. The phase association and solubility of metals changes over composting time thereby altering metal availability. It is apparent thatthe positive effects of resulting from compost application far outweigh the negative effect, but more research is needed on a wide range of municipal solid waste compost with more precise determinationof the fate of municipal solid waste compost applied trace metals in the environment

Cropping systems and constraints of the socio-economic environment of cassava producers in Ughelli South local government area of Delta state, Nigeria

No Abstract. Uniswa Research Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology Vol. 9 (1) 2006: pp. 45-5

Mineralization of Nitrogen in Hydromorphic Soils Amended with Organic Wastes

This paper present the results of nitrogen mineralization in hydromorphic (wetland) soils of the Niger Delta amended with organic wastes. The organic wastes amended soil generally showed a decrease in total inorganic (NO3-N+NH3-N) released within first 14 days, which increased thereafter. The nitrogen mineralized during 58 day of incubation ranged from 82.15 mg kg-1 to 281.60 mg kg-1 for fadamal soil, 54.50 mg kg-1 to 197.30 mg kg-1for meander belt soil and 98.50 mg kg-1 to 320.00 mg kg-1 for Mangrove soil (mangal acid sulphate soils). The order of cumulative nitrogen released in the waste amended soil followed the order: sewage sludge>kitchen waste> poultry manure> oil palm waste> cow manure. Total mineralized N indicated negative correlation with total organic N and C:N rati