Title: Soil nutrient status and okra pod yield as influenced by plant density and cow dung manure application Law-Ogbomo, K.E., Osaigbovo, A.U. and Ogedegbe, S.A.
1Soil nutrient status and okra pod yield as
influenced by plant density and cow dung manure
applicationLaw-Ogbomo, K.E., Osaigbovo, A.U.
and Ogedegbe, S.A.
2INTRODUCTION
- Crop productivity (soil nutrient and plant
density) - Impoverished tropical soils (Akanbi and
Togun,2002) - Inorganic vs. Organic fertilizers
(Aiyelaagbe,2011 Idachaba, 2004) - Plant density affects yield (Weiner,1990 Gupta
et al., 2004)
3Objectives of the study
- Effects of cow dung and plant density on
- 1) soil nutrient status
- 2) pod yield of okra
- In a degraded soil in humid rain forest zone (Edo
State, Nigeria) -
4Materials and Methods
- Two-year field study at University of Benin
Research farm - Two factors (Cow dung and Plant density)
- Cow dung (0, 300,450 kg /ha )
- Plant density (47619, 66666, 83333 pph)
- Soil analysis (Pre-sowing and post-harvest) based
on Mylavarapus and Kennelley (2002) method. -
5Materials and Methods contd.
- 3 x 3 factorial in RCBD replicated three times
- Plots were 2 m x 1.5 m in size
- Okra cultivar (NHAc-47-4)
- Okra seeds were cold water treated for 12 hrs
before sowing - Weed and pest control carried out as required
- Okra pods harvested thrice
- Data combined for analysis using Genstat, 2005
- Means separated with LSD at 5 level of
probability
6Table 1 Physical and chemical properties of the
soil prior to cropping with okra
- Soil properties
Value Critical Level - Sand (g /kg)
790.00 - - Silt (g /kg)
30.00 - - Clay (g/kg)
180.00 - - pH (water)
4.80 - - Organic carbon ()
0.95 1.16 - Total nitrogen ()
0.07 0.15 - Available P (mg /kg)
19.90 8.50 - Exchangeable cation (cmol /kg)
- Ca
2.69 1.50 - Mg
1.17 0.28 - Na
0.59 - - K
0.37 0.16 - Ca/Mg
5.36 3.00 - Ibude et al.(1988)
-
7Table 3 Soil properties after cow dung
application prior to cropping with okra
- Cow dung (kg/ha N) pH(water) Organic C ()
Total N () Available P (mg /kg) - 0 4.82
0.95 0.07
19.90 - 300 5.50
1.27 0.10
27.60 - 450 5.56
1.36 0.10
22.10 - LSD(0.05) 0.560
0.173 0.013
7.370 - Cow dung (kg/ha N) Exchangeable
cations (cmol kg-1) - Ca
Mg Na
K - 0 2.69
1.17 0.56
0.37 - 300 4.55
1.96 0.63
1.00 - 450 4.69
2.00 0.61
1.07 - LSD(0.05) 1.227
0.716 0.039
0.383 -
8Table 4a The effect of cow dung application on
soil chemical properties after cropping with okra
- Cow dung (kg/ha N) pH(water) Organic C ()
Total N () Available P (mg /kg) - 0 4.81
0.68 0.05
12.51 - 300 6.99
0.78 0.06
17.53
- 450 7.19
0.84 0.07
13.88 - LSD(0.05) 0.484
NS 0.019
4.634 - Cow dung (kg/ha N) Exchangeable
cations (cmol kg-1) - Ca
Mg Na
K - 0
1.98 0.59
0.22 0.1
- 300 1.87
0.64 0.28
0.12 - 450 2.10
0.86 0.27
0.07 - LSD(0.05) NS
NS NS
NS
9Table 4b The effect of plant density on soil
chemical properties after cropping with okra
- Plant density (pph) pH(water) Organic
C () Total N () Available P (mg /kg) - 47619 7.04
0.84 0.07
6.85 - 66666 6.73
0.81 0.06
19.37 - 83333 6.61
0.64 0.07
17.69 - LSD(0.05) NS
NS NS
4.634 - Plant density (pph)
Exchangeable cations (cmol kg-1) - Ca
Mg Na
K - 47619 1.82
0.83 0.26
0.08 - 66666 2.25
0.67 0.28
0.13 - 83333 1.88
0.64 0.27
0.08 - LSD(0.05) NS
NS NS
NS
10Table 5Effects of plant density and cow dung
application on pod yield of okra
-
Pod yield - Cow dung (kg/ha N) g/ stand
t/ha - 0 9.78
0.60 - 300 32.36
2.05 - 450 33.05
2.11 - LSD(0.05) 2.308
0.113 - Plant density (pph)
- 47617 30.92
1.47 - 66666 24.03
1.60 - 83333 20.24
1.69 - LSD (0.05) 2.308
0.113 - LSD (0.05) CD X PD 3.998
0.195 -
-
11Table 6 Interactive effects of plant density and
cow dung application on pod yield of okra
-
Pod
yield - Plant density(pph) Cow dung (kg/ha N)
g/stand t/ha - 47619 0
13.51 0.64 - 300
39.97
1.90 -
450 39.97
1.97 - 66666 0
8.95 0.60 -
300 30.70
2.05 -
450 32.45
2.16 - 83333 0
6.88 0.57 -
300 26.40
2.20 -
450 27.44
2.29 - LSD (0.05) Plant density x cow dung
3.998 0.20
12Discussion
- Soil test results indicated low native fertility
- Cow dung had appreciable nutrient content which
improved soil properties (Besho and Bell,1992) - Pod yield reduced with higher plant density
- Pod yield increased with cow dung application
and higher plant density
13Conclusion
- Okra produced optimum yield when grown with cow
dung application (300 kg/ ha N) and plant
population (83333 pph)