Authors:
Ibeh, C.U., Ifediorah, R.N. and Imo, C.M., Nigeria |
Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted at the students’ research farm Faculty of Agriculture, Nnamdi
Azikiwe University Awka to determine the effect of Neem-based compost rate on soil
physicochemical properties and growth responses of Amaranthus viridis in Awka. Three
treatments were used and a control was set out to monitor the effects of the applied treatments.
The design was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), with 4 replication
each. Where beds with 0 t/ha received 0kg of the compost, 3.5 t/ha received 2.1 kg/m² of the
compost, 7 t/ha received 4.2 kg/m² of the compost and 10.5 t/ha received 6.3 kg/m² of the
compost. The experiment lasted for 6 months and plant data was collected before harvesting. The
treatments were applied in an experimental plot of 2m by 2m. The result obtained was subjected
to a statistical analysis of variance using GENstat and least significant difference (LSD) to
compare the mean. The mean were separated at 5% level of significance. Generally the applied
treatments improved soil fertility as there was a significant increase in Moisture content (MC),
Field capacity (FC), Plant Available water (PAW), Permanent wilting point (PWP), Bulk density
(BD), and Total porosity (TP) of the soil. Also, potential hydrogen ion (pH), Available
phosphorus (Av. P), Nitrogen (T.N), Organic carbon (OC), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg),
Potassium (K), Sodium (Na), Exchangeable Acidity (EA), Effective Cation Exchange Capacity
(ECEC), Base Saturation (BS) and exchangeable aluminum (Al3+) were all significantly
differed. On the effects of the treatments on growth parameters, T3 (7 t/ha) gave the highest plant
height and number of leaves with mean value of 25.8", and 30.9" respectively. The control gave
the highest mean leaf width 3.43". |
