Evaluation of the productivity of soil amended with different animal wastes in an acid ultisol at Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria

An experiment was carried out in order to evaluate the productivity of soil amended with different animal wastes at the Teaching and Research Farm at the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. The field was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) comprising of poultry droppings (PD), swine waste (SW), goat droppings (GD), cow dung (CD) and control (c) replicated four times. Maize variety (Oba Super II) was used as a test crop. The result indicated that bulk density, total porosity, aggregate stability, mean weight diameter and state of aggregation were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in poultry droppings amended plots compared to control. Soil pH, total N, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, effective cation exchange capacity, percent base saturation and exchangeable acidity were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in plots amended with poultry droppings when compared to control. Plots amended with poultry droppings gave the highest grain yield of maize which was 64% higher than that of the control. Poultry droppings could be recommended for improved soil productivity in Abakaliki location.