Abstract
A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of split application of nitrogen fertilizer on soil properties and maize yield. Two sites at Apatapiti layout, South gate of the Federal University of Technology Akure were used as the experimental sites. The experiment was designed in a randomized-complete-block design arrangement with three replications. The treatments consisted of urea applied at four levels of split application (0kgha-1, 60kgha-1 basal application, 30kgha-1 basal application+ 30kgha-1 applied at 15 days after planting, 30kgha-1basal application + 20kgha-1applied at 15 days after planting + 10kgha-1applied at 30 days after planting). The plot size was 2 m x 2 m with 1 m space between plots and blocks. Maize (Zea mays L. var. TZB-SR) was planted at 75 cm by 25 cm spacing and 10 were sampled per unit for yield parameters. Split application of urea (30kgha-1basal application + 20kgha-1applied at 15 days after planting + 10kgha-1applied at 30 days after planting) significantly (p>0.05) increased N content of the soil. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference with regard to other nutrients. Soil pH was significantly (p>0.05) reduced as a result of urea application in all treatments. Split urea fertilizer application retained a considerable amount of nitrogen in soil even after the harvest of maize. Exchangeable cations were not significantly different from one another as well as CEC. Split application of urea (30kgha-1basal application + 20kgha-1applied at 15 days after planting + 10kgha-1applied at 30 days after planting) gave the highest grain yield of maize for both sites. Also, plant biomass of both split application were better than the basal application and control.
Highlights
Soil arises as a result of the influence of climate, relief, biotic activities and parent materials interacting over time [6]
Split application of urea (30 kg ha-1basal application + 20 kg ha-1applied at 15 days after planting + 10 kg ha-1applied at 30 days after planting) gave the highest grain yield of maize for both sites
Results were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using Statistical Analysis System (SAS), and mean separation was done using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT)
Summary
Soil arises as a result of the influence of climate, relief, biotic activities and parent materials interacting over time [6]. Soil is the major source of these nutrients and water. All industrially manufactured nitrogen fertilizers obtain their nitrogen from the atmosphere. This is done using the Haber process, in which dihydrogen and dinitrogen at high temperature and pressure are combined over a catalyst, which speeds up the reaction forming ammonia. Fertilizer application has produced high increases in crop yields, they have had negative effects such as losses of thousands of hectares of fertile land, soil degradation and increases of more virulent pathogens [3]. Nitrogen fertilizers can contaminate groundwater because nitrates are highly soluble in water. When natural sources contribute a high concentration of nitrate to the groundwater it is usually as a result
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