Effects of Plant Residue and Urea Fertilizer Application on the Performance of Maize (zea mays l.) in Southwestern Nigeria
Keywords:
Fertilizer, maize, plant residue.
Abstract
A two – year field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ado – Ekiti, Nigeria, during 2006 and 2007 cropping seasons to evaluate the effects of plant residue and urea fertilizer application on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design, with three replications. The treatments included: control i.e. no plant residue addition, no fertilizer application (-PR-F ), plant residue with no fertilizer addition (PR), fertilizer application with no plant residue addition ( F ) and plant residue plus fertilizer application (PR + F). The results obtained indicated that there were significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among the various treatments in growth and yield of maize. The two – year average values indicated that plant residue, urea fertilizer and their combination significantly increased maize leaf area from 0.52 m2/plant for –PR-F to 0.67, 0.80 and 0.91 m2/plant for PR, F, and PR+F, respectively. Similarly, plant residue, urea fertilizer and their combination significantly increased maize grain yield from 1.97 t ha-1 for –PR-F to 3.71, 4.62 and 5.90 t ha-1 for PR, F, and PR+F, respectively.
References
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Bouyoucos, G.J. 1951. A recalibration of the hydrometer method for mechanical analysis of soils. Agronomy Journal, 43: 434 – 438.
Caitt, B.E. 2005. The growth and yield components of maize as affected by planting date and NPK fertilization. Plant and Soil Science Research, 10 (8): 821 – 826.
Carel, B.T. 2006. Effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the performance of root and tuber crops. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 2: 99 – 104.
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Saxena, M.C., Singh, Y. 1965. A note on leaf area estimation of intact maize leaves. Indian Journal of Agronomy, 10: 437 – 439.
Singh, K.M. 2005. The chemical composition of different plant residues. Plant Nutrition Journal, 3 (3): 531 – 536.
Tankou, J.F.T. 2004. The role of organic and inorganic fertilizers in soil fertility maintenance and crop production. Soil Science Research, 6 (4): 751 – 757.
Usor, R.N. 2005. The role of organic fertilizers in improving soil organic matter status in the humid Tropics. Crop and Soil Science Research, 10: 826 – 832.
Veen, R.J. 2007. Influence of organic and mineral fertilizers on growth, yield and yield quality of maize intercropped with soybeans. Plant Nutrition Research, 7 (6): 701 - 707.
Aitu, E.O. 2004. The effects of tillage methods and NPK fertilization on the growth, yield and yield quality of maize. Crop Science, 4 (3): 194 - 199.
Aribe, F.N.C. 2003. The role of plant residues in maintaining soil fertility and crop production. Plant and Soil Science, 3: 333 – 338.
Avery, D.T. 1995. Saving the planet with pesticides and plastic. The environmental triumph of high – yielding farming. Hudson Institute, Indianapolis. 44 pp.
Awodun, M.A., Ojeniyi, S.O. 1999. Effects of weed mulch on nutrient content of soil and grain yield of maize. Proceedings of 25th Annual Conference, Soil Science Society of Nigeria, Benin – City, pp. 116 – 119.
Bai, L.K.T. 2007. The role of organic manure in maintaining soil fertility under continuous maize cultivation. Journal of Applied Science, 4 (2): 222 – 227.
Bationo, A.C.B., Chriatianson, Mokwunye, A.U. 1987. Soil fertility management of millet producing sandy soils of Sahelian West Africa. The Niger experience. Paper presented at the workshop on soil and crop management systems for rainfed agriculture in Sudan – Sahelian zone. International Crop Research Institute for the semi – arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Niamey, Niger.
Been, T.P., Mai K.S., Lot, C.O. 2006. Effects of planting date and nitrogen application on growth and yield of maize intercropped with melon. Premier Journal of Crop Science, 6 (3) 308 – 313.
Bouyoucos, G.J. 1951. A recalibration of the hydrometer method for mechanical analysis of soils. Agronomy Journal, 43: 434 – 438.
Caitt, B.E. 2005. The growth and yield components of maize as affected by planting date and NPK fertilization. Plant and Soil Science Research, 10 (8): 821 – 826.
Carel, B.T. 2006. Effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the performance of root and tuber crops. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 2: 99 – 104.
de Ridder, N., van Keulen, H. 1990. Some aspects of the role of organic matter in sustainable intensified arable farming systems in the West African semi – arid tropics. Fertilizer Research, 26: 29 – 31
.
Fondufe, E.Y. 1995. Assessment of different fertilizer models for application under different cropping systems. Ph. D Thesis, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. 282 pp.
Gazel, G.O.T. 2005. The role of organic wastes in maintaining soil fertility under continuous cropping. Advanced Journal of Soil Science, 6 (3): 553 – 559.
Kuer, O.M. 2003. The influence of continuous cropping on soil organic matter status and nutrient dynamics. Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, 14: 296 – 301.
Mclean, E.O. 1965. Aluminium. In: C. A. Black (ed.) Methods of soil analysis. Agronomy No 9, part 2. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin, P. 978 – 998.
Nottidge, D.O., Ojeniyi, S.O., Asawalam, D.O. 2005. Comparative effects of plant residues and NPK fertilizer on soil properties in a humid ultisol. Nigerian Journal of Soil Science, 15: 9 – 13.
Nyathi, P., Campbell, B.M. 1995. The effects of tree leaf litter, manure, inorganic fertilizer and their combinations on above – ground production and grain yield of maize. African Crop Science Journal, 3 (4): 451 – 456.
Ojeniyi, S.O., Adetoro, A.O. 1993. Use of Chromolaena mulch to improve yield of late season okra. Nigerian Journal of Technical Education, 10: 144 – 147.
Ojeniyi, S.O., Falade, F.O. 1997. Soil nutrient content and maize yield as affected by siam weed mulch. Proceedings of 23rd Annual Conference. Soil Science Society of Nigeria. (ed) B. R. Singh, Sokoto, pp. 205 – 208.
Ojeniyi, S.O., Ighomore, H. 2004. Comparative effects of mulches on soil and leaf nutrient content and cassava yield. Nigerian Journal of Soil Science, 14: 93 – 97.
Osundare, B. 2001. Effects of different companion crops and fertilizer types on the performance of cassava.. Ph. D Thesis, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, 199 pp.
Pichot, J., M.P. Sedogo, J.F., Poulain J.F., Arrivets, J. 1981. evolution de la fertilite d un sol ferrugineu tropical sous R’ influence de fumunes minrales et organiques. Tropical Agronomy, 36: 122 – 133.
Poulain, J.F. 1980. Crop residues in traditional cropping systems of West Africa: Effects of mineral balance and level of organic matter in soils. In: FAO Soils Bulletin No 43.
Ray, S.Y. 2007. Comparative effects of different plant residues on major soil nutrients and performance of maize. Crop and Soil Science, 3: 381 – 386.
Rodale, R. 1995. Your farm is worth more than ever. Put your farm’s internal resources to work. New Farm Magazine Regenerative Agriculture, 8 pp.
Saxena, M.C., Singh, Y. 1965. A note on leaf area estimation of intact maize leaves. Indian Journal of Agronomy, 10: 437 – 439.
Singh, K.M. 2005. The chemical composition of different plant residues. Plant Nutrition Journal, 3 (3): 531 – 536.
Tankou, J.F.T. 2004. The role of organic and inorganic fertilizers in soil fertility maintenance and crop production. Soil Science Research, 6 (4): 751 – 757.
Usor, R.N. 2005. The role of organic fertilizers in improving soil organic matter status in the humid Tropics. Crop and Soil Science Research, 10: 826 – 832.
Veen, R.J. 2007. Influence of organic and mineral fertilizers on growth, yield and yield quality of maize intercropped with soybeans. Plant Nutrition Research, 7 (6): 701 - 707.
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