The efficacy of Mycorrhizae, poultry manure and inorganic fertilizer in improving soil fertility and growth of rubber saplings in Iyanomo Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Screen house trials were conducted in Soil and Plant Nutrition Division in Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria. In Screen house four rate of Mycorrhizae was used (M0, M1, M2 and M3), NPK and Poultry manure was three rate (0, F1 and e rate F2) giving a total of twelve (12) treatment combination. Each treatment was replicated three times. The rates used in the Screen house are equivalent to 0, 500 g, 0.83 g and 600 g/polybag in 5 kg of soil. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design in 2014 cropping season. which gave rise to 12 treatments which is as follows: M1F0–Glomusmosseae, M2F0–Glomusclarius, M3F0–Glomusdeserticola, M0F1– Chemical Fertilizer 15:15:15 (NPK), M0F2– Poultry Manure, M1F1–Glomusmosseae+ NPK 15:15:15, M2F1–Glomusclarius+ NPK 15:15:15, M3F1–Glomusdeserticola + NPK 15: 15:15, M1F2–Glomusmosseae + Poultry Manure, M2F2–Glomusclarius+ Poultry Manure, M3F2–Glomusdeserticola +Poultry Manure and M0F0 which was the Control respectively. Soil samplings were obtained before and after application of soil treatment at 0-15cm depth. Plant data; height, girth leaf area and number of leaves were collected at monthly interval for seven (7) months, The result showed general improvements in the chemical properties after application of treatments. In all the cropping seasons, seven months recorded a higher growth response of Hevea brasiliensis saplings plant height, girth, leaf area and number of leaves with values of (140.3, 133.0, 90.1, 81.2, 68.9 and 56.6 cm), (11.9, 10.5, 9.4, 9.1, 7.2 and 7.1 cm), (69.9, 50.7, 45.6, 32.8, 29.8 and 26.3 cm) and (25.3, 20.0, 15.3, 15.3, 14.0 and 13.3) respectively. The result obtained showed that at 7 months after treatment application there were significant difference (P<0.05) in Organic matter, Nitrogen, Magnesium, Calcium and Sodium with the highest value 6.74, 0.22, 6.40, 2.60 and 0.25 respectively in Glomus deserticola +Poultry Manure.