No abstract

Aluminum toxicity is a major limitation to leguminous crop production in acidic soils but mineral and organic fertilizer applications could ameliorate the condition. Thus, the focus of this study was to evaluate the influence of manures on post-harvest soil fertility quality, yield and agronomic efficiencies of soybean (Glycine max). The study had six fertilizer treatments: poultry manures, rabbit manures, pig manures, sheep manures, cattle manures, single super phosphate and the control (no soil additive) laid in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with four replicates. The experiment was conducted at the greenhouse of the Wesley University, Ondo, Nigeria. The treatments were applied at the rate of 40 kg P205ha-1 and the effects of treatments on yield parameters (biomass, grain yield and total dry weight), relative agronomic efficiencies, as well as soil fertility status were observed. Data analysis using ANOVA at 5% level of probability showed the application of poultry manure to have enhanced soybean grain yield and yield component. Poultry manure treatment had the highest mean total dry weight of 11.5 g while SSP resulted in the lowest yield (4.7g). The efficiency of available P released from the applied poultry manure was 2 times higher than the referenced single super phosphate fertilizer in Ondo. Poultry manure application again had higher RAEDSW than to chemical fertilizer. Thus, applications of poultry or pig manures at 40 kg P205ha-1 could be excellent materials as alternatives to mineral fertilizer (single super phosphate) for improving soil fertility, yield of soybean and its agronomic efficiencies.

Farmers in the tropical environment face the acute problem of using mineral fertilizers due to their unsustainable attributes ranging from scarcity and high cost of the material to the adverse effects on tropical soil which resulted to soil acidity and pollution of underground water. This study evaluated the effects of rice-bran compost on the growth and yield of improved variety of soybean on an Alfisol, in Ibadan, Nigeria. The investigation involved a screen house experiment conducted at the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan. The experiment comprised five rates of compost (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 t/ha) replicated four times with two pots per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) using soybean (TGX 1740- 1F) variety with a total of 40 pots in all. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance ANOVA and Duncan multiple range test was used to separate the means. The experimental results showed significant differences (p˂0.05) among the levels of compost on soybean; however, 10 t/ha gave the highest value on the number of leaves while 7.5 t/ha performed better in respect of plant height compared with the other treatments. Also, rice bran compost at 10 t/ha produced statistically highest root and grain yields followed closely by 7.5 t/ha. However, 10 t/ha of rice bran compost promoted shoot performance. Soybean yield increased with higher rates of rice-bran compost. Soybean growth and yield are improved with a compost of rice- bran and cattle dung up to 7.5 t/ha to supply 95 kg N, 169 kg P and 12 kg K.