Influence of method of residue application and moisture content on water soluble nitrogen in a rhodickandiustalf amended with different fallow plant materials
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Date
2019-10-05
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West African Journal of Applied Ecology
Abstract
Use of plant residues as nutrient sources presents a viable option to resource poor farmers who sparsely use mineral
fertilizer in crop production. A study was conducted to gain an insight into how different application methods of
residues from different fallow management systems under two moisture regimes would affect soluble N release in
a Rhodic Kandiustalf. Three residue types viz, elephant grass from a natural fallow (T1) and another as a fallow
following a previously fertilized maize (T2) and a fallow legume (T3) were surface applied and incorporated in a
Rhodic Kandiustalf at both field capacity (FC) and 60% field capacity over a sixteen-week period. Incorporation
of mucuna residues and elephant grass from previously fertilized maize fallow released similar soluble N levels
which were higher than levels from the natural elephant grass amendments. At 60% FC, both mucuna and elephant
grass from the fertilized maize fields that were surface applied had slower N releases than the grass from the
natural fallow, suggesting the elephant grass from the natural fallow field could be used as an N source amidst light
watering to avoid leaching in the dry season.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
mineral fertilizer, soluble N, Rhodic Kandiustalf, field capacity (FC)