Comparative Effects of Lime, Poultry Manure and Npk Compound Fertilizer on Soil Physicochemical Properties and Yield of Maize in an Ultisol of Southeastern Nigeria.

ABSTRACT Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2011, to examine the effects of lime, poultry manure and NPK 15-15-15 on the soil nutrient content and yield of maize. The experiment was first carried out in the greenhouse and later evaluated in the field. The experimental designs used were 6 x 4 factorial in completely randomized design (CRD) and randomized complete block design (RCBD) for the greenhouse and field experiments respectively. Two factors were considered in the experiments. Factor A: different fertilizer rates and their combinations viz: T1 (200 kgha1NPK + 6 tha-1 PM), T2 (300 kgha-1NPK + 4 tha-1 PM), T3 (400 kgha-1NPK + 2 tha-1 PM), T4 (400 kgha-1NPK only), T5 (8 tha-1 PM only), T6 (Control; no fertilizer application). Factor B: liming levels: pH 6.0, pH 6.5, pH 7.0 and pH 5.5 (control). Maize plant was used as a test crop. In the greenhouse trial, among the six treatments applied, T5 (8 tha-1 PM only) had significant (P < 0.05) effect on soil available P, soil pH, cation exchange capacity and exchangeable magnesium but not on other parameters measured. For the field evaluation, treatment T1 had significant (P < 0.05) effect only on soil aggregate stability but not on mean weight diameter (MWD), aggregate stability (AS), bulk density, total porosity and hydraulic conductivity. Also this treatment had significant (P < 0.05) effect on the soil nutrient contents than other treatments applied. This was similar to that obtained from the greenhouse trial. Soil limed to pH 7.0 significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the soil acidity and increased the exchangeable calcium. A combination of NPK and poultry manure at various rates had better effects than either sole application of NPK or poultry manure on maize parameters measured namely: plant height, leaf number, leaf area index, tasselling number, cob weight, chaff weight, and dry matter. Similarly, liming the soil to different pH levels had significant (P < 0.05) effect on maize plant performance. The highest plant physiological parameters were obtained from the soil limed to pH 7.0 while soil limed to pH 6.0 gave the least plant parameters. The order of performance was as follows: soil limed to pH 7.0 > pH 5.5 (control) > pH 6.5 > pH6.0 in plant parameters namely plant height, cob weight, tasselling number, and seed weight. From the study, soil of pH 5.5 with the application of 200 kgha-1 NPK + 6 tha-1 or 8 tha-1 PM only is recommended for maize production.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page....................................................................................................................................i

Certification...............................................................................................................................ii

Dedication.................................................................................................................................iii

Acknowledgment......................................................................................................................iv

Table of content.........................................................................................................................v

List of tables............................................................................................................................viii

List of figures............................................................................................................................ix

Abstract.....................................................................................................................................x

CHAPTER ONE.......................................................................................................................1

1.0 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................1

CHAPTER TWO......................................................................................................................4

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................................4

2.1 Effect of Lime, Organic and Inorganic Manure on Soil Physical Property........................4

2.1.1 Soil Bulk Density.............................................................................................................4

2.1.2 Hydraulic Conductivity ..................................................................................................5

2.1.3 Aggregate Stability..........................................................................................................6

2.2 Effect of Lime, Organic and Inorganic Manure Soil chemical Property on Soil Nutrient

Availability.........................................................................................................................8

2.2.1 Soil pH.............................................................................................................................8

2.2.2 Soil Nutrient Availability.................................................................................................8

2.2.3 Available P, total N, Soil Organic Matter ......................................................................9

2.3 Maize: Importance, Botany and morphology....................................................................10

7

2.4 Maize Growth and Yield...................................................................................................12

CHAPTER THREE.................................................................................................................15

3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS......................................................................................15

3.1 Site Description..................................................................................................................15

3.2 Lime Requirement Determination......................................................................................15

3.3 Experimental Layout..........................................................................................................15

3.3.1 Greenhouse Study ..........................................................................................................16

3.3.2 Field Study......................................................................................................................16

3.4 Planting...............................................................................................................................17

3.5 Plant Collection..................................................................................................................17

3.6 Soil Sampling.....................................................................................................................17

3.7 Laboratory Analysis of Soils..............................................................................................18

3.8 Data Analysis.....................................................................................................................18

CHAPTER FOUR...................................................................................................................19

4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION......................................................................................19

4.1 Initial Soil Physiochemical Properties...............................................................................19

4.2 Effect of Amendments on Soil Physical Properties..........................................................19

4.2.1 Aggregate Stability (AS).................................................................................................19

4.2.2 Bulk Density...................................................................................................................22

4.2.3 Total Porosity..................................................................................................................22

4.2.4 Mean Weight Diameter (MWD).....................................................................................24

4.2.5 Hydraulic Conductivity..................................................................................................25

4.3 Effect of Amendments on Soil Chemical Properties.........................................................27

4.3.1 Soil pH............................................................................................................................27

4.3.2 Percentage Total Nitrogen..............................................................................................27

4.3.3 Organic matter (OM)......................................................................................................28

4.3.4 Exchangeable Calcium ..................................................................................................30

8

4.3.5 Exchangeable Magnesium...............................................................................................31

4.3.6. Exchangeable Potassium................................................................................................32

4.3.7 Exchangeable Aluminium...............................................................................................34

4.3.8 Hydrogen Ion..................................................................................................................35

4.3.9 Cation Exchange Capacity.............................................................................................36

4.3.10 Available Phosphorous................................................................................................37

4.3.11 Effect of Liming on Soil Chemical Properties one Month after Application.............38

4.4 Maize Yield.......................................................................................................................43

4.4.1 Plant Height....................................................................................................................43

4.4.2 Leaf Area Index (LAI)...................................................................................................45

4.4.3 Number of Tasselling......................................................................................................46

4.4.4 Cob Weight.....................................................................................................................46

4.4.5 Seed Weight (SW) .........................................................................................................49

4.4.6 Dry Matter Yield............................................................................................................49

CHAPTER FIVE.....................................................................................................................50

5.0 Discussion..........................................................................................................................50

CHAPTER SIX.......................................................................................................................55

6.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. ...............................................................................55

REFERENCE .........................................................................................................................57