Utilization of Different Crop Residues as Organic Fertilizer
*1Olowoake, A. A.and 2G. O. Adeoye
1Department of Crop Production and Forest Resource Management Kwara State University P.M.B. 1530, Ilorin, Kwara State Nigeria.2 Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author’s E-mail aolowoake@yahoo.com
Accepted on Apirl 17, 2012
Abstract
Various organic residues are abundant in the most communities and farms in Nigeria. The management of such organic residues poses a serious problem to community hygiene. Surplus farm waste can be recycled into useful product for meeting the nutrient requirement of crops. Poultry manure, Mucuna husk, Gliricidia leaves and Rice straw were collected and composted to produce organic fertilizer.
The estimation of time of maturity of five different compost types; Poultry manure + Mucuna husk (PmMh), Poultry manure + Leaf litter (PmLl), Poultry manure + Rice straw (PmRs), Poultry manure + Leaf litter + Rice straw (PmLlRs) and Poultry manure + Leaf litter + Mucuna husk (PmLlMh) was investigated as well as the effects of the compost on yield of maize in the field. The experimental design was randomized complete block design with three replications.
Composting of organic residues of high and low carbon–nitrogen ratios together reduce the composting cycle to 49 days. Significant differences (P< 0.05) were found in plant height, stem girth, leaves area, stover dry weight and grain yield with 1.5 t ha-1 PmLlMh.
Grain yield value of maize 3.4 t /ha with PmLlMh at 1.5 t/ha were significantly (p< 0.05) higher than that of NPK treatment (3.0 t/ha) after the cropping.
Thus, from this study it can be deduced that PmLlMh at 1.5 t ha-1 can serve as an alternative to mineral fertilizer.