Open AccessResponse of cocoyam (Xanthosoma mafafa) growth parameters and yield and soil physical properties of Ultisol to organic wastes at Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria.
Author(s) -
Iroegbu C. S,
O Asawalam D,
Dada O. A,
Orji J. E,
Anikwe M. A. N
Publication year - 2021
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1597-4488
DOI - 10.36265/colsssn.2020.4429
Subject(s) - sawdust , randomized block design , ultisol , sowing , mathematics , agronomy , chicken manure , yield (engineering) , bulk density , zoology , horticulture , manure , environmental science , biology , soil water , ecology , materials science , metallurgy , soil science
This research was conducted on a degraded Ultisol at the Eastern farm of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike during 2014 and 2015 planting seasons, to study the effect of sawdust and poultry manure combinations on soil exchangeable properties. The treatments comprised of sawdust (SD) at five levels namely 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 t/ha and poultry manure (PM) at five levels namely 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 t/ha, which were combined to produce 25 treatment combinations. The treatment combinations were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RBCD) and replicated three times in a factorial experiment. The interactions of poultry manure and sawdust significantly (p<0.05) improved soil bulk density and total porosity with the lowest value obtained with 0t/ha SD + 8t/ha PM in both 2014 and 2015. The result showed that the interactions of poultry manure and sawdust significantly (p<0.05) increased the leaf area with the highest value obtained with 20t/ha SD + 8t/ha PM in both 2014 and 2015. Also, only the various rates of treatment applied significantly (p<0.05) increased the number of leaves, plant height, leaf area and cocoyam yield with the highest value obtained with 20t/ha SD + 8t/ha PM. Also, the various rates of treatment application significantly (p<0.05) increased the cocoyam yield (weight of corms and cormels) with the highest value obtained with 20t/ha SD + 8t/ha PM. Improvement in growth and yield of cocoyam resulted from the improved nutrient status of the soil as a result of the amendments applied.