Mulching an Arenic Hapludult at Umudike: Effects on saturated hydraulic conductivity and rhizome yield of turmeric

A study was carried out over two cropping seasons on an Arenic Hapludult at Umudike, southeastern Nigeria, to investigate and determine the quantity and type of mulch material that would optimize the rhizome yield of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn) and improve the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil. The turmeric was planted at two depths; 5 and 10 cm. Two types of mulch, straw (elephant grass)and wood shavings were evaluated at 3 rates (0, 4 and 8 t/ha). Results showed that the effect of mulching on rhizome yield was significant. Yields increased significantly with the rate of mulch. Rhizome yield of turmeric was significantly influenced by the depth of planting and mulch type used. The 10 cm planting depth out-yielded 5 cm depth, and straw mulch out-yielded wood shavings. Optimum values of Ksat occurred at the 4 t/ha mulch rate. Bulk density, macro porosity and microporosity were the most important physical properties influencing Ksat of the soil. Total porosity (Pt), and void ratio (Ve) were not good indicators of Ksat even though they positively explained between 98 and96% of its variations, respectively

Impact of amendments on the physical properties of soil under tropical long-term no till conditions

Tropical regions have been considered the world's primary agricultural frontier; however, some physico-chemical deficiencies, such as low soil organic matter content, poor soil structure, high erodibility, soil acidity, and aluminum toxicity, have affected their productive capacity. Lime and gypsum are commonly used to improve soil chemical fertility, but no information exists about the long-term effects of these products on the physical attributes and C protection mechanisms of highly weathered Oxisols. A field trial was conducted in a sandy clay loam (kaolinitic, thermic Typic Haplorthox) under a no-tillage system for 12 years. The trial consisted of four treatments: a control with no soil amendment application, the application of 2.1 Mg ha-1 phosphogypsum, the application of 2.0 Mg ha-1 lime, and the application of lime + phosphogypsum (2.0 + 2.1 Mg ha-1, respectively). Since the experiment was established in 2002, the rates have been applied three times (2002, 2004, and 2010). Surface liming effectively increased water-stable aggregates > 2.0 mm at a depth of up to 0.2 m; however, the association with phosphogypsum was considered a good strategy to improve the macroaggregate stability in subsoil layers (0.20 to 0.40 m). Consequently, both soil amendments applied together increased the mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) in all soil layers, with increases of up to 118 and 89%, respectively, according to the soil layer. The formation and stabilization of larger aggregates contributed to a higher accumulation of total organic carbon (TOC) on these structures. In addition to TOC, the MWD and aggregate stability index were positively correlated with Ca2+ and Mg2+ levels and base saturation. Consequently, the increase observed in the aggregate size class resulted in a better organization of soil particles, increasing the macroporosity and reducing the soil bulk density and penetration resistance. Therefore, adequate soil chemical management plays a fundamental role in improving the soil's physical attributes in tropical areas under conservative management and highly affected by compaction caused by intensive farming

Effect of animal waste on physicochemical properties of a dystric leptosol and maize yield in Southeastern Nigeria

No Abstract.Nigerian Journal of Soil Sciences Vol. 16 (1) 2006: pp. 96-10

Effects of hyacinth residues on chemical properties and productivity of degraded tropical soils

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is an aquatic weed that has blocked many navigable water-ways in the tropics. Attempts have been made to control or erradicate it to no avail. Its capacity to produce large biomass in a short time could be explored to seek other ways of utilizing it as a biofertiliser. An evaluation of the potential of water hyacinth (WH) residue as a biofertiliser was carried out in the green­house using a split-plot in a Radomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) experiment with three replica­tions of each treatment. Top soil samples taken from an Entisol, Lithic Usorthent, (S1) and an Ultisol, Typic Paleustult, (S2) constituted the main plot treatments, whereas the sub-plot treatments were control (C), inorganic fertilizer (N-P-K-Mg at the rates of 240, 60, 240 and 80 kg/ha) (F), 20 t/ha water hya­cinth (WH1), WH1 + F, 40 t/ha water hyacinth (WH2), WH2 + F, WH1 + 20 t /ha rice mill waste (WH1 + RW1), WH1 + 20 t/ha poultry droppings (WH1 + PD1) and WH1 + 10 t/ha RW and 10 t/ha PD (WH1 + RW1 +PD1). All amendments were mixed with the soils and incubated for 10 days before planting. The F treatment was applied at maize planting. Data were collected on maize performance and changes in soil chemical properties.Results showed that exchangeable cations, CEC, OC, total N, avail­able P and pH increased in the WH-amended soils relative to the controls in both S1 and S2. The more fertile S1 benefited from these amendments more than S2 and showed that maize performance during the first cropping was better on S1 than S2, whereas during the residual cropping the crop performed equally well on both soils. Lower maize dry matter yields occurred in the residual than the first crop­ping. Also the less fertile S2 had higher residual effect of the residues than S1. Generally, WH mixed with either PD or RW or both performed better than when used alone. These results indicate that WH has a lot of potential for use as a biofertilizer on these low-fertile, fragile, tropical soils, especially if mixed with PD or PD+RW. Key words: Soil chemical properties; Soil fertility improvement; Maize performance; Water hyacinth residues; Poultry manure; Rice mill wastes; Nigeria. Agro-Science Vol.2(2) 2001: 44-5

Metabolic finger prints of soil bacteria: influence of organic and inorganic amendments

No Abstract. Agro-Science Vol. 3(1) 2002: 1-

Soil moisture retention characteristics in relation to erodibility and texture of some soils of southeastern Nigeria

No Abstract Available E. Afr. Agric. For. J Vol.68(1) 2002: 17-2

Evaluation of physico-chemical properties of soils under selected agricultural land utilization types

No Abstract. Agro-Science Vol. 3(1) 2002: 27-3

Nitrogen Mineralization From Prunings Of Three Multipurpose Legume And Maize Uptake In Alley Cropping System

A study was conducted on soil N mineralization in the field in an alley cropping system between 2003 -2005 under two soil depths (0-30cm and 30-60cm) through the utilization of an in-situ soil core technique for studying fluxes of mineral N and its uptake by maize. Result obtained indicated that N mineralization was in the pattern of Gliricidia sepium > Leucarna leucocephala > Cajanus cajan > fertilizer > control. The highest N mineralization of 78.91 mg N Kg-1 soil was obtained in the Gliricidia sepium treatment under 0-30cm soil depth. Between the alley and the fertilizer treatment, cumulative N mineralization was more in the alley treatments. Both mineralization and nitrification processes occurred more in the 0-30cm than 30-60cm soil depths. Among the legumes, low N mineralization, nitrification and ammonification were found in the Cajanus cajan alley treatments. Leaching was more pronounced in the fertilizer than in the alley treatments. However, nutrient uptake was observed highest in the alley treatments showing that nutrient recovery by maize was highest from the mineralization pruning of legumes in alley cropping system.Agro-Science Vol. 7 (2) 2008: pp. 143-14

Comparative morphophysiological and yield characteristics of musa genomes in Nigeria

Thirty-six (36) Musa genotypes comprising tetraploid hybrids and triploid land races belonging to AAA, AAB, and ABB Musa genomes were evaluated in three agro-ecologies following a South-North rainfall and Vegetation gradients in Nigeria. Plants were grown as sole crops at Onne (High rainforest zone), Ibadan (forest-savannah transition zone) and Abuja (Southern guinea savannah zone) plus an additional experiment grown in alley cropping system at Onne. Phenological and yield traits were measured for two crop cycles. The results revealed that crop cycle did not yield traits were measure for two crop cycles. The results revealed that crop cycle did not significantly influenced height of the tallest sucker at harvest of the paint crop, black sigatoka disease responses and the fruit weight. All phonological and yield traits were significantly (