Determination of the impact of Long-term Poultry manure use on selected soil nutrients
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Date
2015
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Academia
Abstract
In this study, the long-term impacts of poultry manure (PM) on vertical distribution of soil
macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) have been determined. In addition, change in other soil
fertility indicators such as organic matter (OM) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) levels
were assessed. Soil samples from four depths (0-15, 15-30, 30-60, and 60-120 cm) from the
sites were analyzed. Generally, the mean total soil nitrogen increased with depth in the
cultivated poultry manure amended soils up to 60cm depth and decreased sharply at depth
range 60-120 cm in both wet and dry seasons. At both the cultivated and uncultivated sites at
Deduako, available P levels were highest at the top 15 cm depth of the soil and decreased
rapidly with increasing depths for both seasons in both the cultivated and uncultivated sites.
The exchangeable K content at Deduako during the wet and dry season was significantly
higher at all sampling depths than the corresponding depths of uncultivated land. Generally,
the exchangeable Ca levels were significantly higher in cultivated soils at the experimental
sites than those of the uncultivated land. There were significantly higher exchangeable Ca
levels in wet season than that of dry season at both sites. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) Mg
levels recorded in wet season. The OM contents at all sampling depths of cultivated site
were also higher than that of the uncultivated sites. At the Deduako vegetable site, during
the wet season, the CEC in cultivated soils at the various sampling depth were significantly
higher (p < 0.05) than those of uncultivated soil. Increases in all selected soil properties
were, generally, higher in the wet season than the dry season.
Description
This article is Published by Academia, 2015