Abstract
A laboratory incubation study to determine the decomposition rate of Sunflower (SF), Gliricidia sepium (GL), Kola Pod Husk (KPH), and Cocoa Pod Husk (CPH) on soil forms of nitrogen was carried out at the Department of Agricultural Science, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo South-Western Nigeria. The soil sample was collected from the farmers’ field in Ondo. The soil was air-dried and sieved through a 2mm diameter laboratory sieve. 200g of the soil samples were weighed into cups and 1g of each CPH, SF, GL and KPH was added. The treatments were replicated five times to give 45 cups of soil samples and arranged on a Completely Randomised Design. The cups were covered with absorbents. The treatments were analysed 30, 60 and 90 days to determine total N, NO3-N and NH4-N using destructive analytical method. Compared with control, all the treatments significantly increased total N and NO3-N while SF and GL significantly increased (p <0.05) NH4-N at 30 days of incubation. All the treatments significantly increased (p <0.05) total N, NH4-N and NO3-N at 60 and 90 days. Cocoa Pod Husk had the highest increase in total N while KPH recorded the highest NH4-N and NO3-N. Cocoa Pod Husk (CPH), KPH, GL and SF could be used to increase soil forms of N for optimum crop production in Ondo, South-Western Nigeria.
Highlights
Nitrogen can be added to the soil through the application of inorganic nitrogenous fertilisers and organic fertilisers, such as animal and plant residues
The objective of this study was to determine the rate of nitrogen mineralisation by cocoa pod husk, kola pod husk, sunflower and gliricidia in Ondo Southwestern Nigeria
The laboratory incubation study to determine the rate of N mineralisation from cocoa pod husk, gliricidia and sunflower were conducted in the laboratory of Agricultural Science Department of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, in 2016
Summary
Nitrogen can be added to the soil through the application of inorganic nitrogenous fertilisers and organic fertilisers, such as animal and plant residues. Some agrowastes have been reported to have the tendency of releasing higher ammonium nitrogen and nitrogen nitrate used for crop production (Ayeni et al 2015). Mineral fertilisers are very easy to use, but they have a detrimental effect of the soil at long use. Farmers must be cautious of the amount of nitrogen fertilisers they add to the soils because of their negative effects on the environment in generality and aquatic ecosystems. Excess nitrogen has a negative effect on plant growth and yield as well as drinkable water and water bodies. Excess N in water causes eutrophication and causes environmental pollution during burning by releasing poisonous nitrogen monoxide
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: East African Journal of Agriculture and Biotechnology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
