Abstract
Field investigations were carried out to evaluate the influence of shrub and herbaceous mulch types on soil properties and nutrient composition of maize (Zea mays L.) at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology, Akure in the rainforest zone of southwestern Nigeria in 2013 and 2014 respectively. The shrub mulch; Gliricidia sepium and Tithonia diversifolia, herbaceous mulch; Calopogonium mucunoides and Moringa oleifera were applied at the rate of 5 t ha-1. Application of NPK (20:10:10) fertilizer at the rate of 200 kg ha-1 was included as the standard treatment for the experiments. The treatments were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replication. The growth, agronomic parameters and nutritional quality of maize (Zea mays L.) were monitored and determined in both experiments. Results indicated that herbaceous mulch types and NPK fertilizer significantly (P<0.05) increased the number of leaves, plant height and leaf area when compared with the control in both years. Significant increases in yield parameters over the control were obtained for the NPK fertilizer treatment. In 2013 and 2014 cropping season NPK 20-10-10 treatment significantly produced the highest cob yield but was not significantly higher than the yield from Gliricidia sepium treatment in 2014. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and exchangeable cations were positively stimulated by herbaceous mulches while residual phosphorus (P) was increased by NPK fertilizer treatment. Mulched treatments significantly increased crude protein, carbohydrate, nitrogen, phosphorus and ash content of maize grain in both years of cropping season thereby improving nutritional content of maize grain. Therefore, shrub and herbaceous mulch treatments applied at 5t/ha-1 could be applied alternatively in lieu of scarce and expensive inorganic fertilizer for improved maize yield, soil properties and nutrient composition.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Herbaceous mulch types and NPK fertilizer significantly increased number of leaves, plant height and leaf area of maize compared with the control in both years.
- Treatment
- herbaceous mulch types and NPK fertilizere0
- Outcome
- the number of leaves, plant height and leaf areae0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“herbaceous mulch types and NPK fertilizer significantly (P<0.05) increased the number of leaves, plant height and leaf area when compared with the control in both years”
Claim · model-written summary
NPK fertilizer gave significant increases in yield parameters over the control.
- Treatment
- the NPK fertilizer treatmente0
- Outcome
- yield parameterse0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“Significant increases in yield parameters over the control were obtained for the NPK fertilizer treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
NPK 20-10-10 treatment significantly produced the highest cob yield in 2013 and 2014.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“NPK 20-10-10 treatment significantly produced the highest cob yield”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2014 the cob yield under NPK was not significantly higher than that under Gliricidia sepium mulch.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“was not significantly higher than the yield from Gliricidia sepium treatment in 2014”
Claim · model-written summary
Herbaceous mulches positively stimulated soil organic carbon and total nitrogen.
- Treatment
- herbaceous mulchese0
- Outcome
- Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (N)e0
- Direction
- positively stimulatede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and exchangeable cations were positively stimulated by herbaceous mulches”
Claim · model-written summary
Herbaceous mulches positively stimulated soil potassium and exchangeable cations.
- Treatment
- herbaceous mulchese0
- Outcome
- potassium (K), and exchangeable cationse0
- Direction
- positively stimulatede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and exchangeable cations were positively stimulated by herbaceous mulches”
Claim · model-written summary
Residual phosphorus in the soil was increased by NPK fertilizer treatment.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“residual phosphorus (P) was increased by NPK fertilizer treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulched treatments significantly increased crude protein, carbohydrate and nitrogen content of maize grain in both years.
- Organ / stage
- maize graine0
- Treatment
- Mulched treatmentse0
- Outcome
- crude protein, carbohydrate, nitrogene0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“Mulched treatments significantly increased crude protein, carbohydrate, nitrogen, phosphorus and ash content of maize grain in both years of cropping season”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulched treatments significantly increased phosphorus and ash content of maize grain in both years.
- Organ / stage
- maize graine0
- Treatment
- Mulched treatmentse0
- Outcome
- phosphorus and ash contente0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“Mulched treatments significantly increased crude protein, carbohydrate, nitrogen, phosphorus and ash content of maize grain in both years of cropping season”
Claim · model-written summary
Shrub and herbaceous mulch at 5 t/ha could be used instead of scarce and expensive inorganic fertilizer to improve maize yield, soil properties and nutrient composition.
- Treatment
- shrub and herbaceous mulch treatments applied at 5t/ha-1e0
- Outcome
- improved maize yield, soil properties and nutrient compositione0
- Comparator
- inorganic fertilizere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize (Zea mays L.)”
e0“shrub and herbaceous mulch treatments applied at 5t/ha-1 could be applied alternatively in lieu of scarce and expensive inorganic fertilizer for improved maize yield, soil properties and nutrient composition”
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