Effect of rates and duration of gliricidia biochar and poultry manure on chemical properties of soils in minna, North Central, Nigeria.

Abstract

Pot experiment was carried out in the screen house of School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Minna. 􀐇e objective of the study was to investigate the e􀐊ectiveness of di􀐊erent rates and duration of Gliricidia Biochar (GB) and Poultry Manure (PM) on some chemical properties of soil sampled every two months in Minna. 􀐇e treatments consisted of nine rates of GB and PM (control, 10, -1 20, 30, 40 GB and 10, 20, 30, 40 PM t ha ) and three duration of sampled at 2, 4 and 6 months and analyzed for their chemical properties. 􀐇e experiment was a factorial fitted to Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Laboratory analysis of soil chemical properties was conducted. All data collected were subjected to ANOVA at 5% level of significant and the means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Irrespective of the rates of application of GB and PM, there was a significant increase in pH, organic carbon, e􀐊ective cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen and available phosphorus over the control. Also, the results showed a significant increase of the above parameters with the durations of these amendments. No significant interaction existed between the rates and duration of GB and PM application on the above parameters recorded during the experiment. Keywords: : Gliricidia Biochar, Poultry Manure, Chemical properties, Rates of application