Response of Bambara Groundnut and Soil Physicochemical Properties to Different Lime Materials

Nweke, I A

doi:10.30560/as.v2n1p13

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Soil Science Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Campus. The treatments studied were paper ash (PA) and wood ash (WA) of rates 4.8 kgha-1 respectively and calcium carbonate (CA) of rate 120g (equivalent of 300kgha-1) and control (CO). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and was replicated four times. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and treatment means were separated using LSD at 5% alpha level. The result recorded for the study showed that root and pod weight of bambara groundnut were not significant among the treatments but values obtained from treated plots were better than the untreated plots. Soil properties tested were greatly improved by the lime materials when compared their values on the control soil. Hence the results indicated that the lime materials especially the wood ash and paper ash could be ideal for famers as they are cheap affordable and available since it has proved through this study that these lime materials could improve crop yield and soil nutrient status and characteristics.

Highlights

Soil fertility is considered to be a measure of the soils compatibility to sustain crop growth and yield both in short and long term periods, as soil is centre for sustainable farming system
The results indicated that the lime materials especially the wood ash and paper ash could be ideal for famers as they are cheap affordable and available since it has proved through this study that these lime materials could improve crop yield and soil nutrient status and characteristics
The nutrient content of wood ash and paper ash recorded in Table 1 indicates that the treatment materials are rich in nutrients, low in Na (0.38 Cmolkg-1 WA, 0.28 Cmolkg-1 PA) and K (0.29 Cmolkg-1WA, 0.34 Cmolkg-1 PA) and have moderate level of OM (1.13% WA, 2.01% PA)

Summary

Introduction

Soil fertility is considered to be a measure of the soils compatibility to sustain crop growth and yield both in short and long term periods, as soil is centre for sustainable farming system. The change brought the shortening of the fallowing periods which are usually used in the zone to restore and maintain soil productivity This was as a result of rapid increase in both human population and the rate of urbanization. Wood ash induces a strong lime effect when used as soil ameliorant and has the ability to correct nutrient deficiency induced by leaching and soil acidity (Mbah et al, 2010; Nweke et al, 2017; Nweke 2017). This is as a result of its high acid neutralizing ability. With the presence of the two elements acidity will be neutralized and neutralization as.ideasspread.org

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Conclusion