Interaction Effect Of Soil Amendments And Tillage Practices On Soil Properties
Kurayemen Chagbe
Department of Agricultural Education, College of Education, P.M.B 2008, Katsina-Ala, Benue State, Nigeria
Philip Ijirbee Agber
Department of Soil Science, University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2373, Makurdi, Nigeria
Abraham Terfa Ajon
Department of Crop Production Technology, Akperan Orshi Polytechnic, Yandev, P.M.B. 181, Gboko, Benue State, Nigeria
Keywords: Soil amendments, tillage, soil properties, soil sample, treatments
Abstract
Field experiments were carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, (Latitude 7o46’ – 7o50’N and Longitude 8o36’ – 8o40’E) during the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons to assess the interaction effect of soil amendments and tillage practices on soil properties in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Twelve treatments were used, these include zero tillage x control, zero tillage x 15 t/ha moringa, zero tillage x 10 t/ha poultry dropping, zero tillage x 120 kg/ha SSP, ridge tillage x control, ridge tillage x 15 t/ha moringa, ridge tillage x 10 t/ha poultry dropping, ridge tillage x 120 kg/ha SSP, surface hoeing x control, surface hoeing x 15 t/ha moringa, surface hoeing x 10 t/ha poultry dropping and surface hoeing x 120 kg/ha SSP. Soil sample collections for physical and chemical properties of the soils of the study site were determined at the beginning and end of the experiment. The mechanical analysis of the study site indicated sandy loam texture with low values of soil nutrients, organic matter (7.3 g/kg) and soil pH (6.5) before the application of treatments. The effect of soil management practices on soil properties obtained after harvest shows improved soil properties such as pH, O.M, N, P, exchangeable bases EA CEC, BS, EC and porosity relative to the low values of nutrients obtained from the control plots. Higher values of soil properties were obtained under ridge tillage x 10 t/ha poultry manure followed by ridge tillage x 15 t/ha moringa and other treatment combinations compared to control plots