Response of Selected Soil Chemical Properties and Maize Yields as Affected by Animal Wastes Application in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted in research farm of Department of Soil Science and Environment, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki in 2014 and 2015 cropping seasons to determine the response of selected soil chemical properties and maize yields as affected by animal wastes application. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with four treatment replicated five times. Treatment details were 5t ha -1 of poultry droppings (PD), 5 tha -1 of cow dung (CD), 5 tha -1 of mixture of PD+CD (MX) and control -non-application of treatment (C). Soil chemical properties determined were pH, organic C, total N, C/N ratio, available P, exchangeable bases, total exchangeable bases, exchangeable acidity, effective cation capacity and base saturation while the maize yield determine were maize height and grain yield. Results showed significant (P < 0.05) changes in the various parameters determined among treatments. Application of animal wastes improved the selected soil chemical properties in the two cropping seasons. Highest grain yield was observed in plot treated with poultry droppings in 2014 cropping season whereas cow dung treated plot recorded highest grain yield in 2015 cropping season. In both 2014 and 2015 cropping seasons, control had the lowest crop yields.