Abstract

Chemical properties and nutrient release pattern from compost are influenced by composted plant materials (CPM) and duration of composting (DC). The following plant materials; guinea grass (GGC), tridax weed (TWC), siam weed (SWC) and maize stover (MSC) were composted with cow dung. Pot and field experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of these CPM on growth yield performance of maize, and the properties of soil after harvest. The pot trial was a 4 × 5 factorial experiment laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates while the field experiment was a 4 × 3 factorial arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated three times. Data collected on initial and soil properties after harvest, growth, dry matter yield (DMY), nutrient uptake and yield of maize were subjected to analysis of variance and means separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. Results showed that MSC compost had the highest N content while GGC had the highest K. Phosphorus (P) content was similar for all the CPMs. Results of pot experiment showed that maize growth was higher (p ≤ 0.05) with GGC, TWC and MSC of 3, 4 and 5 months DC. The DMY and P-uptake increased with increasing DC. On field trial, plants height was similar for all the CPM that received MSC and GGC gave similar highest DMY which were significantly higher than TWC and SWC. MSC gave the highest N-uptake while GGC treated plant had the highest P and K uptake. Grain yield was significantly higher for MSC (1.80 t ha–1) than SWC and Control but similar to GGC (1.37 t ha–1) and TWC (1.18 t ha–1). Compost application at 20 t ha–1 significantly increased cob weight, N and K uptake of maize compared to control. Application of CPM improved final soil available P which increased with DC and rate of application of different CPM. Therefore, CPM and DC have great potentials in influencing compost quality and should be considered in formulating compost fertilizer in organic farming.

Highlights

  • Sustainable crop production could adequately be achieved by proper maintenance of soil fertility

  • Guinea grass compost (GGC) had the highest pH, followed by tridax weed compost (TWC) while the least was observed in maize stover compost (MSC) and siam weed compost (SWC)

  • Total nitrogen was highest in MSC; the values in guinea grass compost (GGC) and SWC were comparable while the least was obtained in TWC

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Summary

Introduction

Sustainable crop production could adequately be achieved by proper maintenance of soil fertility. Mineral fertilizers are used to maintain soil fertility because they provide readily available nutrient for plants. They lose efficiency when the soil organic matter is low. Organic farming is an agricultural system that avoids the use of synthetic fertilizer and pesticides (Neelesh and Attika, 2015). It relies on increasing biological diversity in the field to disrupt habitat for pest organisms and the purposeful maintenance and replenishment of soil fertility (Mishra et al, 2013)

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