Tillage and rice mill wastes mulch and their effects on soil properties and yield of cassava (Manihot spp.) on a Typic psamment at Abakaliliki, Southeastern Nigeria

The experiment was undertaken using cassava (Manihot spp) to evaluate effectsof different tillage practices and mulching (raised mulched bed, raised notmulched bed, flat mulched bed, flat not mulched bed, untilled mulched bed anduntilled not mulched bed) on soil properties and cassava sprouting and yield in2016 and 2017 planting seasons on a Typic psamment in Ikwo, Ebonyi State,Southeastern Nigeria. The experimental study is made up of six treatments, arranged in randomized complete block design and replicated four times. The results indicated significantly (P<0.05) higher (28.18 – 27.16%) GMC in bedsmulched than corresponding values (17.10 – 15.26% and 16.20 – 15.10%) obtained in untilled mulched and untilled not mulched beds for both seasons. Results showed that available P, N, Ca and Mg were respectively higher (P<0.05) inmulched raised beds when compared to those of untilled mulched or untilled notmulched beds by 31 – 28%, 32 – 71%, 50 – 33%, 50 – 30%, 89 – 67% and 49 –26%, 91–71%. At 28 DAP for 2016 and 2017 planting seasons results showedthat 90–78% of the planted cassava cuttings sprouted between 14 – 17 days earlier in both tilled mulched beds and tilled not mulched beds compared to untilledmulched or untilled not mulched beds (5 – 48%). These were (P<0.05) 40 – 50%and 47–37% significantly higher in tilled mulched and tilled not mulched bedswhen compared to untilled mulched and untilled not mulched beds. At harvest(300 DAP), highest cassava tuber yield (7.5–7.3t ha-1) were obtained in raisedmulched beds for 2016 and 2017. Cassava yields were (p<0.05) higher in raisedmulched beds by 60 and 59% compared to their counterparts in untilled notmulched beds for the seasons. These findings imply that rice mill wastes mulchprovide a good and conducive soil condition for cassava than unmulched or untilled environment and raised mulched beds provide more robust condition forcassava production relative to other treatments tested in this study