Determination of Nutrient Contents in the Leaf Litter of <i>Diospyros crassiflora</i>S. (Hiern-FWTA) Plantation in Okwuta-Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

Determination of nutrient contents in Diospyros crassiflora leaf litter was carried out in the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Okwuta-Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria in 2016 and 2017. Three 1 m × 1 m trays were randomly positioned for collection of leaf litter production from 4/5 years old Diospyros crassiflora species in each block (10 m × 25 m) within the plantation totaling 1.5 ha. A Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates was used to study the mean monthly leaf litterfall of Diospyros crassiflora. Leaf litter was collected from each of the three litter trays per block and placed in paper bags every 28th day of each month from January-December in 2016 and in 2017. Fifteen grammes (15 g) of properly mixed and oven-dried samples of D. crassiflora leaf litter were milled and sieved in 1 mm sieve;0.3 g was used to determine nutrient elements and their concentrations. The data obtained from mineral nutrient contents of D. crassiflora leaf litter was analysed using analysis of variance. Result reveals the mean concentrations of nitrogen (1.41 and 1.41 mg·l-1), phosphorus (0.18 and 0.18 mg·l-1), potassium (0.68 and 0.68 mg·l-1), sodium (0.35 and 0.30 mg·l-1), calcium (1.57 and 1.56 mg·l-1), magnesium (0.32 and 0.31 mg·l-1), chlorine (0.25 and 0.24 mg·l-1), Organic carbon (0.03 and 0.03 mg·l-1) and Organic matter (1.17 and 1.18 mg·l-1) etc. in D. crassiflora leaf litter in January-December (2016 and 2017). The study shows almost uniform distribution of mineral elements concentrations in 2016 and 2017.