SOIL QUALITY AND MAIZE YIELD AS INFLUENCED BY TILLAGE/LEGUME MANAGEMENT AND FERTILIZER RATES IN SAMARU ALFISOLS, NIGERIA
SOIL QUALITY AND MAIZE YIELD AS INFLUENCED BY TILLAGE/LEGUME MANAGEMENT AND FERTILIZER RATES IN SAMARU ALFISOLS, NIGERIA
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Date
2013-02
Authors
EBIRERI, ONOME FELICIA
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Abstract
This study was conducted in 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons at the Institute for
Agricultural Research (IAR) farm, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to determine
tillage/legume practice that affects soil quality most and also to develop strategies for
efficient use of inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers to improve maize
productivity. The trial was established in 2010 and repeated in 2011 at the IAR
meteorological site (11010’58”N, 7037’0”E) in the Northern Guinea Savanna ecology of
Nigeria. Soils in the experimental site were classified as Typic Haplustalf (USDA) and
Acrisols (FAO/UNESCO). The experiment was laid out in a split plot design and
replicated three times. The main plots (255m2), consisted of three tillage practices
{Conventional Tillage plus Centrosema pascuorum (CT+Cp), Conventional Tillage
without Centrosema pascuorum (CT) and Permanent cover plus Centrosema pascuorum
(PC+Cp)} and three Nitrogen fertilizer rates (NFR) (60, 80 and 100 kg N ha-1) while the
sub plots (75m2) consisted of three Phosphorus fertilizer rates (PFR) (6.6, 13.2 and 26.4
kg P ha-1). Results show that treatment CT+Cp had least bulk density which was
significantly (P≤0.05) lower than the other tillage plots. Plots that received 100 kg N ha-
1 and 13.2 kg P ha-1 had the least bulk density which was significantly (P≤0.05) better
than other nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) rates at the end of the cropping season.
Treatment CT+Cp resulted in a significantly (P≤0.05) higher mean weight diameter
(MWD) of aggregates than the other tillage treatments. pH however decreased slightly
under CT+Cp and CT and increased under PC+Cp. Differences in soil pH however,
were not significant and decrease was not sufficient to hamper crop growth. Treatment
CT+Cp had organic carbon content value that was significantly (P≤0.05) higher than
other treatments. Plots with 100 kg N ha-1 and 26.4 kg P ha-1 gave better organic carbon
contents statistically. CT had significantly (P≤0.05) higher content of available P at the
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end of trial while CT+Cp had the least. Cation Exchange Capacity was better improved
statistically under PC+Cp. Treatments with 60 kg N ha-1 and 6.6 kg P ha-1 had better
CEC values statistically. CT+Cp showed significant (P≤0.05) increase in maize yield
over the other treatments with yield of over 3.67 t ha-1 at the end of the 2011 cropping
season. Effect of decreased bulk density, increased mean weight diameter, reduced
exchange acidity and improved CEC and ECEC with years would imply that soil
health/quality over the years had been positively impacted upon by the management
practices. However, CT+Cp at 100 kg N ha-1 and 13.2 kg P ha-1 proved superior in
improving both soil health and maize productivity with a percentage rise in yield of 2.51
% over CT and 70.6 % over PC+Cp and is therefore recommended for sustainable
maize production in Samaru Alfisols, Nigeria.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE
STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL
FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF
MASTERS OF SCIENCE DEGREE (SOIL SCIENCE)
Keywords
SOIL, QUALITY, MAIZE, YIELD, INFLUENCED, TILLAGE/LEGUME, MANAGEMENT, FERTILIZER, RATES, SAMARU, ALFISOLS,, NIGERIA