The high premium placed on the organically produced cocoa in the international market coupled with its health and environmental benefits necessitated recent focus on research into the use of agricultural wastes as sou...The high premium placed on the organically produced cocoa in the international market coupled with its health and environmental benefits necessitated recent focus on research into the use of agricultural wastes as source of nutrients in cocoa (T. cacao) production. The study was carried out at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan (Lat. 7°25'N Long. 3°25'E), South-western, Nigeria during the 2010/2011 seedling production season to compare the effects of NPK (20:10:10) fertilizer, Cocoa Pod Husk and Oil Palm Bunch Ash (CPHA and OPA) on the seedling growth and dry matter yield of cocoa (T. cacao). Equivalent amount of different rates of two nutrients sources CPHA and OPA were applied one month after planting at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 t/ha respectively, recommended rate of 10 kg·N of the conventional NPK (20:10:10). Fertilizer was used as reference fertilizer. Results indicated that all the fertilizer materials positively and significantly (p > 0.05) increased the growth parameters considered. The influence of the ash materials irrespective of sources on the nutrient uptake, dry matter yield of cocoa seedlings and shoot to root ratio were either higher than or had a comparable results with the reference fertilizer (NPK 20:10:10). CPHA and OPA applied at a rate of 4 t/ha significantly (p > 0.05) increased the plant height and root length of cocoa seedlings respectively relative to control and in—organic fertilizer and could therefore be recommended for the prospective and existing Nigerian cocoa farmers for raising their seedlings in the nursery before transplanting to the field.展开更多
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important cash crop for smallholder farmers in western Ethiopia. However, the yield of the crop is very low mainly because of strong soil acidity and poor soil fertility managemen...Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important cash crop for smallholder farmers in western Ethiopia. However, the yield of the crop is very low mainly because of strong soil acidity and poor soil fertility management. A study conducted to evaluate the effect of lime and mineral phosphorus fertilizer on yield components and yield of groundnut. The treatments consisted of three phosphorus rates (0, 46 and 92 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5·</sub>ha<sup>-1</sup>), three lime rates (0, 6, and 11 ton lime·ha<sup>-1</sup>), and three groundnut varieties (local cultivar, Werer-961, and Werer-963) was laid-out as a randomized complete design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The corresponding rates of phosphorus applied per pot of soil (7 kg) amounted to 0, 107 and 215 mg kg·soil<sup>-1</sup> and those of lime amounted to 0, 14, and 26 g kg·soil<sup>-1</sup>. The analysis of variance showed that phenological characters, yield, and yield components significantly affected by interaction of variety, phosphorus, and lime. The highest dry pod yield produced by Werer-963 (2 kg dry pod yield·pot<sup>-1</sup>) in response to the application 11 t·ha<sup>-1</sup> lime and 46 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>·ha<sup>-1</sup>. However, Werer-961 produced medium (1.5 kg dry pod yield·pot<sup>-1</sup>) at 11 t·ha<sup>-1</sup> lime and 92 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>·ha<sup>-1</sup> and the local cultivar produced minimum (1 kg dry pod yield·pot<sup>-1</sup>) at the application of 11 t·ha<sup>-1</sup> lime and 92 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>·ha<sup>-1</sup>. In terms of phosphorus yield efficiency index, Werer-963 was highly efficient (index of 1.71), and Werer-961 was moderately efficient (index of 0.6). However, the local cultivar was inefficient (index of 0.04). It is at, in acidic soil of the study area Werer-963 is the best to be cultivated with application of lime 11 t·ha<sup>-1</sup> and 46 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>·ha<sup>-1</sup> fertilizer, followed by Werer-961. The results of this pot experiment have revealed that farmers in the study area need to switch to cultivating the improved varieties of groundnut rather than local variety with the application of high rates of lime and moderate amounts of phosphorus.展开更多
文摘The high premium placed on the organically produced cocoa in the international market coupled with its health and environmental benefits necessitated recent focus on research into the use of agricultural wastes as source of nutrients in cocoa (T. cacao) production. The study was carried out at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan (Lat. 7°25'N Long. 3°25'E), South-western, Nigeria during the 2010/2011 seedling production season to compare the effects of NPK (20:10:10) fertilizer, Cocoa Pod Husk and Oil Palm Bunch Ash (CPHA and OPA) on the seedling growth and dry matter yield of cocoa (T. cacao). Equivalent amount of different rates of two nutrients sources CPHA and OPA were applied one month after planting at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 t/ha respectively, recommended rate of 10 kg·N of the conventional NPK (20:10:10). Fertilizer was used as reference fertilizer. Results indicated that all the fertilizer materials positively and significantly (p > 0.05) increased the growth parameters considered. The influence of the ash materials irrespective of sources on the nutrient uptake, dry matter yield of cocoa seedlings and shoot to root ratio were either higher than or had a comparable results with the reference fertilizer (NPK 20:10:10). CPHA and OPA applied at a rate of 4 t/ha significantly (p > 0.05) increased the plant height and root length of cocoa seedlings respectively relative to control and in—organic fertilizer and could therefore be recommended for the prospective and existing Nigerian cocoa farmers for raising their seedlings in the nursery before transplanting to the field.
文摘Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important cash crop for smallholder farmers in western Ethiopia. However, the yield of the crop is very low mainly because of strong soil acidity and poor soil fertility management. A study conducted to evaluate the effect of lime and mineral phosphorus fertilizer on yield components and yield of groundnut. The treatments consisted of three phosphorus rates (0, 46 and 92 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5·</sub>ha<sup>-1</sup>), three lime rates (0, 6, and 11 ton lime·ha<sup>-1</sup>), and three groundnut varieties (local cultivar, Werer-961, and Werer-963) was laid-out as a randomized complete design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The corresponding rates of phosphorus applied per pot of soil (7 kg) amounted to 0, 107 and 215 mg kg·soil<sup>-1</sup> and those of lime amounted to 0, 14, and 26 g kg·soil<sup>-1</sup>. The analysis of variance showed that phenological characters, yield, and yield components significantly affected by interaction of variety, phosphorus, and lime. The highest dry pod yield produced by Werer-963 (2 kg dry pod yield·pot<sup>-1</sup>) in response to the application 11 t·ha<sup>-1</sup> lime and 46 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>·ha<sup>-1</sup>. However, Werer-961 produced medium (1.5 kg dry pod yield·pot<sup>-1</sup>) at 11 t·ha<sup>-1</sup> lime and 92 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>·ha<sup>-1</sup> and the local cultivar produced minimum (1 kg dry pod yield·pot<sup>-1</sup>) at the application of 11 t·ha<sup>-1</sup> lime and 92 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>·ha<sup>-1</sup>. In terms of phosphorus yield efficiency index, Werer-963 was highly efficient (index of 1.71), and Werer-961 was moderately efficient (index of 0.6). However, the local cultivar was inefficient (index of 0.04). It is at, in acidic soil of the study area Werer-963 is the best to be cultivated with application of lime 11 t·ha<sup>-1</sup> and 46 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>·ha<sup>-1</sup> fertilizer, followed by Werer-961. The results of this pot experiment have revealed that farmers in the study area need to switch to cultivating the improved varieties of groundnut rather than local variety with the application of high rates of lime and moderate amounts of phosphorus.