Characterization of a Commercial Grade Humic Acid (HA) and Its Impact on Soil Properties and the Yield of Maize

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Prince Audu Abubakar University Research and Demonstration Farm, Anyigba, during the 2020 farming season. The broad objective of this research was to determine the effect of humic acid (HA) on soil properties, growth and yield of maize in southern guinea savannah. The parameters measured includes, plant height (cm), number of leaves, stem girth (cm), fresh cob weight (g), dry cob weight (g), fresh biomass (g), dry biomass (g), cob length (cm) cob diameter(cm), 100 grains weight (g) and total yield (kg). The experiment had eight (8) treatments (T1 = Control, T2 = HA10, T3= HA20, T4= HA30, T5= RNPK, T6= 1/3RNPK+HA30, T7= 1/2RNPK+HA30 and 2/3RNPK+HA30) which were replicated three (3) times and the experimental design was randomized complete block design (RCBD). From the result obtained, the HA concentrate has high pH (10.07), high in carbon (36.48) and high HA percentage (92.00). Pre-cropping soil analyses confirm the soil to be acidic (4.85), low in nutrient and the textural class is sand. Post-cropping soil analyses showed HA10 helped reduce soil pH the most (5.22) and application of HA generally help increase the concentration of micronutrients. The application of HA on maize had no significant (p<0.05) influence on the plant height, number of leaves, stem girth and most of the yield parameters tested with the exception of 100grain weight and total yield. Treatment 2/3RNPK+HA30 had a seed weight (21.50) which is statistically same with treatment RNPK (21.67).The total yield of maize gotten in this study showed that treatment HA10 had the highest yield (2.93) after treatment RNPK (3.53).Therefore, long term studies are required in the study location to know if positive responses will be observed on soil properties and growth of crops with the application of HA.