Effects of different organic amendments on the structure of an ultisol in Rivers State, Nigeria
MBONU, O. A. and ELENWO, G. A. (2006). Effect of Different Organic Materials on the Structure of an Ultisol in Rivers State, Nigeria. Int. J. of Agric. & Rural Dev. Vol.7(1):61-66.
Abstract:
Organic materials have been shown to improve soil physical and chemical properties. A 12 weeks field experiment was used to assess the effects of amending soil with organic materials [poultry droppings (PD), maize straw (MS), cassava peelings (CP) and ripe plantain peelings (RPP)] on soil bulk density (BD), total porosity (P), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and soil moisture retention (SMR). Results showed that Ks, BD, P and SMR were significantly positively affected by all the treatments. At the end of 12 weeks, Ks increased by 508, 386, 344, and 172 percents for RPP, PD, MS and CP respectively. Bulk density dropped from 2.14 to 1.97, 1.98, 2.03, 2.07 Kgm3 for RPP, PD, MS and CP respectively. The same trend was observed for porosity. For all parameters measured, RPP better improved structure than the other organic materials; from the 6” week. The faster decomposition of this material, relative to the others, may have contributed to this.
Key words: Organic amendments, Ultisol
Growth and Yield of Nsukka Yellow Pepper (Capscicum annum L.) as Affected by Different Organic Ammendments.
MBONU, O. A. and OSSIA, S. (2006). Growth and Yield of Nsukka Yellow Pepper (Capscicum annum L.) as Affected by Different Organic Ammendments. Nig j. of Agic. Food & Environ. Vol. 3(1&2):72-78.
ABSTRACT:
Dry elephant grass, oil palm bunch and brewers spent grain were incorporated in an ultisol, in south-eastern Nigeria, at the rate of 24 tons/ha. These were planted to Nsukka yellow pepper (Capsicum annum L.), in a randomized complete block design and assessed for their effects on growth and yield of the crop. Plant heights were positively significantly affected by the dry grass treatment. The mean leaf area was in the order 55.54 > 52.32 > 37.00 > 26.20 cm for dry grass, oil palm bunch, control and brewer’s spent grain respectively. The brewer’s spent grain negatively affected both plant height and leaf area. The total yield after 6 weeks of harvest were 4.9, 1.65, 1.63 and 0.5 tons/ha for dry grass, oil palm bunch, control and brewer’s spent grain respectively. About 50% of the pepper fruits for all the treatments were of the large size excluding those of the brewer’s spent grain, which had 80% of the fruits in the small size range. Most of the exchangeable cations were enhanced the dry grass and oil palm bunch treatments. C/N ratios were also reduced by these two treatments.
Key words: Brewers, oil palm bunch, dry elephant grass, ultisol, yellow pepper.
Effects of Different Organic Ammendments on Seed Germination and Soil Physical Properties
MBONU, O. A., OPARA-NADI, O. A. and OKOROH, K. G. (2006). Effects of Different Organic Ammendments on Seed Germination and Soil Physical Properties. Int. J. of Agric. Dev., vol 7(2):134-140.
Abstract:
A screen house study was carried out to assess the effects of three organic amendments (poultry droppings- pd, brewer’s spent grain -bsg and wood shavings-ws) on the germination of four crops (Maize: Zea mays, Cowpea: Vigna sinonsis, Okro: Abelmoschus esculentum and pepper Capsicum annum), and on some properties; of an ultisol in Port – Harcourt, southeastern Nigeria. The four treatments, made up of the organic amendments were laid out in a completely randomized design replicated thrice, for each of the crops. Wood shavings were best suited for pepper and maize with 77.7 and 43.3 percents germination, respectively as against their controls of 59.9 and 333 percents. Brewer’s spent grain gave a germination rate of 60% for cowpea while the poultry droppings treatment gave 100% germination for okra. Generally, the wood shavings enhanced germination for all the crops. Organic amendments reduced bulk density by 8.2,4.5 and 38.1% and increased porosity by 10.2. 6.1 and 40% for poultry droppings brewer’s spent grain and wood shavings respectively. Wood shavings and poultry droppings significantly increased volumetric moisture contents from 0.37 to 0.50 and 0.43 respectively. There were inverse linear relationships between percentage germination and volumetric moisture contents for all treatments, with r-values of -006, -0.54, and -046 for PD, BSG and WS respectively. There were also the same relationship between percentage germination and bulk density for only PD and WS respectively. There were also the same relationship between percentage germination and bulk density for only PD and WS with r-values of -0.31 and -0.83 respectively.
Key words: Organic soil amendments, seed germination, soil physical properties.
Growth and Yield of Amaranthus (Amaranthus cruentus L.) as Affected by Organic Soil Ammendments.
MBONU, O. A. and ARIFALO, S. (2006). Growth and Yield of Amaranthus (Amaranthus cruentus L.) as Affected by Organic Soil Ammendments. Nig. J. of Hort Sci. vol.11:42-46.
Abstract:
The growth and yield of Amaranthus cruentus L. as affected by different combinations of organic materials were analyzed. The treatments which consisted of 5tons/ha of poultry manure, 5tons/ha of wood ash, mixture of 1.7 and 3.3 tons/ha of wood ash and poultry manure respectively, mixture of 3.3 and 1. 7tonsiiza of wood ash and poultry manure respectively and a control of no manure, were laid out in a completely randomized block design, replicated three times. Results showed that plant heights ranged from 28.7 to 34.2cm for all treatments against a plant height of 25.2cm for the control The number of leaves was in the order 16, 17, 17, and 18 for plots treated to 5tons/ha of wood ash, the control, mixture of 3. 3tons/ha of wood ash and 1.7tonsñia of poultry nanure,5tons/ha of poultry manure and mixture of 1.7tons/ha of wood ash and 3.33tons/ha of poultry manure respectively. The mixture of 1.7tons/ha of wood ash and3.33tonsiha of poultry manure gave the highest leaf area , 1.71.50cm2, followed by that of the mixture of 3.3tons4ia of wood ash and 1. 7tons/ha of poultry manure of 69.70cm2 as against 54.94cm2 for the control. However in terms of fresh and dry matter yields, the 5tons/ha of wood ash treatment gave the highest weight of 2.Stonstha followed by mixture of 3.3tonsiha of wood ash and 1. 7tons/ha of poultry manure and the mixture of 1. 7tons/ha of wood ash and 3.33tons/ha of poultry manure with 2.01 and 1.83 tons/ha respectively; which were not significantly different from each other Results also showed ‘hat the fresh leaf weight correlated with leaf area with r (correlation coefficient) values ranging between 0.41 and 0.86.
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Field-Measured and Model-Estimated Cumulative Infiltration on a Desurfaced Alfisol in Semi-Humid Tropics.
MBONU, O. A. and BABALOLA, O. (2006). Field-Measured and Model-Estimated Cumulative Infiltration on a Desurfaced Alfisol in Semi-Humid Tropics. Acta Agronomica Nigeriana. Vol. 7(1) 32-37.
Abstract:
The cumulative infiltration of a desurfaced paleustalf in a humid tropical environment of western Nigeria, was measured using the double ring infiltrometer. There were 4 treatments including manual removal of topsoil to 2, 5, and 10 cm depths with 0 cm desurfacing as control. The main and two modified each of the Philip’s and Kostiakov’s infiltration models were subjected to curve fitting in order to obtain the soil parameters in each of the infiltration models. Sorptivity (S) and transmissivity (A) generally decreased and increased respectively, with depth for the top 10 cm depth. Equilibrium infiltration rate (Ic) and A were found to be highly negatively correlated with saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kr) with r values of -0.86 and -0.94 respectively. The mean magnitude of these three water intake parameters was in (he order 5.33 > 4.00 > 2.53 cm hr’ for Ic, A and Ks respectively. For this soil of slow infiltration, prediction by both the main Philip’s and Kostiakov’s models did not vary widely will, each order. They however, deviated widely from the experimental data, for all levels of desurfacing.