Assessment of soil chemical properties and pod yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) as influenced by farm yard manure and urea in Southern Guinea Savannah agro-ecology of Nigeria

Abstract

Plant and animal debris are fast becoming an environmental hazard in many urban, semi-urban and rural settlements in most parts of the tropics. This is due to the poor management of this debris in the environment. Plant and animal remains if properly managed will be a rich farm resource. Therefore, a field trial was conducted in Makurdi in the 2021 cropping season to study the effects of farm yard manure (FYM) and urea fertilizer on selected chemical properties of soil and yield of okra. The experiment consisted of nine treatments; control, 2.0 t/ha FYM, 3.5 t/ha FYM, 5.0 t/ha FYM, 15 kgN/ha, 30 kgN/ha, 2.0 t/ha FYM + 15 kgN/ha, 3.5 t/ha FYM + 15 kgN/ha, and 5.0 t/ha FYM + 15 kgN/ha. The design of the experiment was a randomized complete block design in three replications. The results show that the sole application of inorganic fertilizer lowered soil pH and organic matter content. Manure application either as sole (i.e 2.0 t/ha or 3.5 t/ha or 5.0 t/ha) or mixed with inorganic fertilizer (i.e 2.0 t/ha FYM +15kgN/ha, or 3.5t/ha FYM+15kgN/ha, or 5.0 t/ha FYM+15kgN/ha), increased soil pH and concentrations of nutrient elements in the soil. Similarly, pod yield was significantly affected by manure and inorganic fertilizer; the highest number of pods yield and weight (12 and 613 kg/ha respectively) were obtained from 30 kg N/ha. This was followed by yield obtained from manure plus NPK (611kg/ha) at 5.0 t/ha FYM + 15 kgN/ha. Notwithstanding pod yield obtained at 30 kgN/ha, the study reveals that combined use of farm yard manure and urea fertilizer improves the concentration of nutrients in the soil and enhances yield of okra in the study area.