Use of soil amendments for urban horticulture in the savannah and forest areas of Ghana
March 2015
The search for suitable alternatives to loam, manure and sand based growing media in Ghana has generated a substantial body of literature on potential amendments akin to the peat based media in developed countries. The objectives of this study were to review literature on potential soil amendments in Ghana, determine the reasons for farmer choice of amendments and determine factors influencing farmer adoption of these...
Assessment of smallholder farmers’ perceptions and degree of adoption of Tithonia diversifolia compost in addressing declining soil fertility in Ming’ongo Extension Planning Areas, Lilongwe, Malawi
March 2015
A study was conducted to assess smallholder farmers’ perceptions and degree of adoption of Tithonia diversifolia chimato compost among the smallholder farmers in Ming’ongo Extension Planning Areas in Lilongwe. Primary data regarding smallholder farmers’ knowledge, perception and adoptions levels on making and using T. diversifolia chimato compost were collected through a questionnaire interview with...
Soil aggregate stability in a Tunisian semi-arid environment with reference to fractal analysis
February 2015
Soils from semi-arid environments have traditionally been considered to have poorly stable aggregates. The use of aggregate stability methods for erosion research seems of particular interest. However, its use to predict crusting and erosion have yielded conflicting results. In this study, we investigate the possible relations between aggregate stability and soil physical properties, and soil water erosion parameters...
Estimation of water requirements of early and late season maize in Umudike southeastern Nigeria, using Penman’s equation
February 2015
The estimation of water requirements of early and late season maize was carried out based on 10 years meteorological data at Umudike, typical of the humid tropical zone using the Penman’s equation. The results obtained showed that the seasonal crop evapotranspiration (ETo) value for early season maize (April - July) was 450.66 mm while that of late season (June - September) was 369.72 mm. The irrigation water...
Changes in soil characteristics and fungal population dynamics in a pigeonpea field
February 2015
The present study was done in October 2008 and March 2009 to explore the seasonal effects on soil physico-chemical properties and fungal population found at different depth (that is, 5, 10 and 15 cm) as well as on plant parts. Results indicate that in both seasons, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium was higher in the top 5 cm followed by lower depths (10 and 15 cm). Fungal species isolated from different...
The basaltic soils of Plateau State, Nigeria: Properties, classification and management practices
January 2015
Characterization of soils is helpful in the appraisal of soil productivity. The study investigated detailed physico-chemical characterize of the soils developed on basaltic parent materials on the Jos plateau, Nigeria. The aim was to assess appropriate management practice for their sustainability in agricultural production. Four profiles pits were dug and studied, soil samples collected from pedogenetic horizons were...
Inoculation, phosphorous and zinc fertilization effects on nodulation, yield and nutrient uptake of Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) grown on calcaric cambisol of semiarid Ethiopia
January 2015
A field experiment was conducted in 2010 crop season with three factors: Inoculation (U = no inoculums and I = with inoculums), three levels of P (0, 20, 40kgPha-1) and three levels of Zn (0, 15, 25kgZnha-1) fertilizations. The experiments were laid in randomized complete blocks in three replications on calcaric cambisols to study effects of inoculation, P and Zn fertilizations on nodulation, yield, yield components,...
Intermittent leaching of copper from copper based fungicide through a saturated soil profile
October 2014
Copper is a micronutrient required for plant growth. However, it can have negative effect on plant growth if the concentration is too high. The aim of this study was to examine copper concentrations of leachate from soil columns treated with copper based fungicide. A 2 × 4 factorial arrangements consisting of two soil types (0 to 60 cm sample depth) and four rates of copper based fungicide concentrations (0, 1.88,...
Pedological characteristics and classification of soils along landscapes at Abobo, southwestern lowlands of Ethiopia
September 2014
Soils of the lowlands in southwestern Ethiopia are under intensive cultivation, however, very little is known about them. The objective of this study is to provide basic information on how pedogenic properties along the landscape relate to their use, which could assist better management to establish sustainable crop production system. Four soil profiles from varying slope positions and land management were described...
Modeling of 137Cs and 60Co transport in calcareous soils by groundwater
August 2014
The fate of transport of radionuclides is one of the most important factors to be considered for the safety assessment of repositories of radioactive wastes in porous media. Laboratory batch and column experiments were investigated to assess the transport of 137Cs and 60Co in calcareous loam and clay soils leached with groundwater (GW) using convection-dispersion equation model (CDE). Fractionation of Cs and Co in eight...
Effects of three tree species on microclimate and soil amelioration in the central rift valley of Ethiopia
August 2014
The effect of Balanites aegyptiaca, Acacia tortilis and Acacia seyal on soil fertility and microclimate was studied in the central rift valley of Ethiopia. Sampling was done in randomized complete blocks at 1/3 radius, 2/3 radius and at crown edge radius from the tree base and control was maintained at an open area. All soil and microclimatic parameters observed under the canopy distances were significantly different...
The importance of proton supply in phosphate rock dissolution: Comparative study of three phosphate rocks from sub-Saharan Africa
July 2014
The dissolution in hydrochloric acid of three phosphate rocks (PRs) from sub-Saharan Africa was studied in the laboratory and their agronomic effectiveness compared using soils from Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Netherlands. The objective was to investigate the potential of the PRs in supplying phosphorus under conditions of limited and unlimited supply of protons (H+). The test crop was maize (Zea mais var. LG11)....
Properties and management of gravelly soils developed on ferruginous cuirass in Mali
June 2014
In Mali, different types of gravelly soils on Cuirass were identified in association with a native vegetation including many species of tree, shrub and herbaceous. All these soils are developed by degradation of ferruginous cuirass, a material largely observed in West Africa Sudanian and Sudano-Guinean zones. Gravelly soils of Mali have a variable depth (< 10 to 95 cm depth) and gavel content (15 to 60%) and are...
Nutrient budget analysis under smallholder farming systems and implications on agricultural sustainability in degraded environments of semiarid central Tanzania
June 2014
Soil nutrient budget is one of the critical concerns in most farming systems, especially in degraded environments. This paper reveals a net nutrient removal from the agricultural system that resulted in negative budgets, particularly for N. Large variations existed between villages, with N budget ranging from -9.6 to -252.4 kg/ha/year, with a mean budget of -91.9 kg/ha/year. Various factors seem to have contributed to...
The effects of soil properties and vegetation cover on the sedimentation of forest roads
March 2014
This study was conducted to investigate the interaction of soil properties and vegetation cover on soil loss from forest road prism. Rainfall simulations were carried out on road surface, fillslope and cutslope. Runoff and sediment samples were collected every 4 min and then total soil loss was measured. Samples from top soil were randomly collected for analysis and grouping soil into A, B and C. Results showed that on...
The influences of forest fire on the vegetation and some soil properties of a savanna ecosystem in Nigeria
March 2014
The effect of forest fire on natural forest in Southern Guinea Savanna in Nigeria was investigated. The study was carried out in Oro forest reserve in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study site was located in the north-eastern and south-western portions of the reserve. In each location in the forest, one hectare (100 m × 100 m) was divided into 100 plots of 10 m × 10 m. Twenty plots were randomly selected for...
Assessing the Input and Output Flows and Nutrients Balance Analysis at Catchment Level in Northern Ethiopia
January 2014
Soil fertility depletion in smallholder farms is one of the fundamental biophysical causes for declining use per capita food production in Ethiopia. In the present study, resource flow analysis was made at catchment scale in northern Ethiopia, analyzing nutrient balances. JMP 5, a computer program for statistics and used in applications such as design experiment and scientific research was used to process and to...
Soil sulfur availability due to mineralization: Soil amended with biogas residues
January 2014
Sulfur, an essential element for plant growth, has received lesser attention than it deserves. Current inputs of sulfur to agricultural soils from atmospheric deposition have reduced to less than the amount sulfur required by most crops. In such soils the release of sulfur from organic matter is vital for the supply of sulfur. A pot experiment without plant (incubation study) in a green house was conducted at the...
Re-defining and quantifying inorganic phosphate pools in the soil and water assessment tool
December 2013
The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT), a large-scale hydrologic model, is used to estimate phosphate (P) loading in streams and water bodies. The labile, active, and stable P pools are currently used to represent P cycling in SWAT; however, these pools are conceptual without any chemical basis. The current structure allows SWAT to reasonably represent P cycling; however, restructuring and incorporation of recent...
Biogas residues as source of sulfur to Pak choi Brassica rapa Var. chinensis (L.)
December 2013
It has been a standard agricultural practice to fertilize Brassica crops with sulfur to enhance yield. However, current atmospheric deposition of sulfur does not meet pack choi (Brassica rapa Var. chinensis (L.)) requirement which is excellent sources of beta carotene and glucosinolates that are associated with reduced incidence of cancers and cardiovascular diseases. In such soils the release of sulfur from organic...
Organic carbon distribution in alluvial soils according to different flood risk zones
December 2013
This study examines the spatial distribution of organic carbon in alluvial soils subjected to frequent flooding according to different flood risk zones, that is, interval recurrences of 0-20 years (FFz) and 20-100 years (MFz). Sites located outside of flood zones (NFz) were also selected to compare the soil organic carbon (SOC) in different zones. The selected sites are located in floodplains covered by forest dominated...
Integrating scientific and farmers’ perception towards evaluation of rain-fed agricultural technologies for sorghum and cowpea productivity in Central Kenya
November 2013
Soil fertility degradation remains the major biophysical cause of declining per capita crop production on smallholder farms in Central Kenya highlands. A study was conducted to compare farmers’ perception and biophysical data on selected water harvesting and integrated soil fertility management technologies on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) production in Central highlands...
Nutrient uptake by Abelmuscus esculentus and its effects on changes in soil chemical properties as influenced by residual application of fertilizer
November 2013
A field experiment was conducted as an on-farm trial at Uyinmwendin (Rhodic Paleudult), Edo State, Nigeria, in 2009 and 2010 to investigate the residue of compost manure, compost manure + NPK and NPK fertilizer treatments on nutrient concentration and uptake of Abelmuscus esculentus and soil chemical properties. Five treatments were selected viz: untreated (control), compost manure applied at the rate of 20 and 40 t...
Effect of kitchen wastewater irrigation on soil properties and growth of cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
November 2013
Scarcity of freshwater is becoming an increasing problem primarily in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The study was designed to investigate the effects of wastewater irrigation on soil properties and growth parameters of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) in southwestern Nigeria. The irrigation treatments consisted of kitchen wastewater, rainwater and groundwater in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in...
The effects of tillage systems on soil physical properties and water conservation in a sandy loam soil in Eastern Kenya
November 2013
Soil water conservation through tillage is widely accepted as one of the appropriate ways of addressing soil moisture constraints in rainfed agriculture. A field experiment was conducted for 6 seasons (2007 to 2009) to evaluate the effects of 3 tillage practices namely ox-plough (OP), subsoiling-ripping (SR) and tied-ridge (TR) on soil physical and hydro-physical properties of a sandy loam soil. Soil surface roughness,...
Soil organic carbon fractions as affected by land use in the Sourthern Guinea Savanna ecosystem of Adamawa State, Nigeria
October 2013
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of three land use management (natural forest, crop land and natural fallow) and soil depth on soil organic carbon fractions. The study was carried out in Toungo and Jada, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Three transects were cut 100 m apart in each of the study sites and four sampling plots of 20 m × 20 m in dimension were laid in alternate positions along each transect at...
Uptake of Pb, Zn and Cu by roots and shoots of fast growing plants grown in contaminated soil in Vietnam
October 2013
The phytoremediation of soil contaminated with lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) from industrial wastewater discharge in a farming village near Hanoi City was investigated. The first growing plant species tested were the Spanish needle, water primrose, common willow herb, and water spinach. Uptake by roots and shoots per unit land area for each species was calculated and compared. The uptake of the heavy metals per...
Mapping of limestone deposits and determination of quality of locally available limestone in Rwanda
September 2013
Soil erosion, soil nutrient depletion and soil acidity associated to Aluminium (Al) toxicities are the main soil related constraints to agricultural development in many countries of sub-Sahara Africa. The lime plays an important role in improving soil acidity and hence favours plant nutrition. The aim of this study was to map out the available limestone deposits and to determine their selected quality....
Farmers’ perception of soil fertility problems and their attitudes towards integrated soil fertility management for coffee in Northern Tanzania
September 2013
A study was conducted in Hai and Lushoto districts, Northern Tanzania to establish the farmers’ perception of soil fertility problems and their attitudes towards integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) for coffee, thereby identifying the appropriate intervention strategies. The study was based on a structured questionnaire involving 126 respondents. Both farmers’ awareness of the problem and...
Effects of different land use systems on selected soil properties in South Ethiopia
September 2013
A study was conducted to determine the effect of different land use systems on soil physical and chemical properties in Sodo Zuria Woreda of Wolaita zone Southern Ethiopia. Differences in soil properties in different land use types at two depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm) were observed on many soil properties important to crop growth. Enset (Ensete Ventricosum) fields had higher pH, electrical conductivity (EC),...
Influence of depths and soil pH on forms of magnesium in soils of four parent materials (Rhodic paleudults, Rhodic tropudalfs, Oxic tropudalfs and Aquic tropossamment)
August 2013
The role of depths and soil pH in the content and occurrence of the forms of magnesium in soils of the four parent materials in Edo and Delta States (Coastal plain sand, Shale, Basement complex and Alluvium) was investigated. Soils samples were collected from profiles that developed on these parent materials, with dimensions 1.2 x 1.2 x 1.5 m and demarcated according to depths ranging from 0 to 150 cm. Reagents...
Composition and structure of humic substances in long-term fertilization experimental soils of southern China
August 2013
Humic substances are extremely important attributes of soil quality but the impacts of long-term fertilization on their composition and structure remain controversial and are still not fully understood. A study, employing various methods was conducted to elucidate the influence of long-term fertilization practices on the composition and structure of humic substances. Soil samples were collected from eight treatments at...
Simulation of sediment transport to Sawah rice fields by applying the water erosion prediction project (WEPP) model to a watershed in Ghana
June 2013
Inland valleys are being used under the Sawah technology for rice production to reduce rice imports to Ghana. Sawah technology is assumed to benefit from geological fertilization. However, there is no quantitative information on runoff and sediment flows in the agricultural watershed of Ghana. This study was carried out at Biemso in the southern part of the country. The aim was to estimate runoff and sediment transport...
Genotypic variations in phosphorus use efficiency and yield of some groundnut cultivars grown on an Alfisol at Samaru, Nigeria
June 2013
A field trial was conducted in 2008 at the Institute for Agricultural Research farm at Samaru, to evaluate the phosphorus uptake, phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) and yield potentials, of five groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotypes (SAMNUT 10, 11, 21, 22 and 23). Four levels of phosphorus (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1) were applied to each genotype in a randomized complete block design (RCBD )...
Nitrogen and sulphur fertilizers effects on yield, nitrogen uptake and nitrogen use efficiency of upland rice variety on irrigated Fulvisols of the Afar region, Ethiopia
June 2013
The present study was conducted in 2009/10 to investigate the effect of N and S fertilization on yield, N uptake, N use efficiency, and grain protein content of the upland NERICA-4 rice variety. The layout of the experiments was randomized complete block designs with three replications, where in 2009 crop season, the effect of five N rates (N0 = 0, N1 = 36, N2 = 59, N3= 82 and N4 = 105 kg N ha-1) without S and in...
Molecular geochemistry of soil organic matter by pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technique: A review
May 2013
Soil organic matter (SOM) is arguably the most complex and least understood component of soils. To analyze SOM structure and reduce SOM large structural heterogeneity, different components of SOM need to be separated into entities that differ in terms of source, composition, and turnover. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Pyrolysis-GC/MS) is to present the most effectual approach in the study of the...
Partial balance of N, P and K in a sole millet crop on a sandy loam soil of Northeast Nigeria
May 2013
A study was conducted on nutrient dynamics through partial N, P and K balances during 2005 growing season. The treatments involved three levels of farmyard manure (FYM: 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 tons/ha) combined with half (N30P15K15 kg/ha) and full (N60P30K30 kg/ha) recommended rates of NPK fertilizer and sole recommended rates of FYM (7.5 tons/ha) and NPK (N60P30K30 kg/ha) and a control. The experiment was laid out in RCB...
Isolation of microorganism from soil contaminated with degraded paper in Jharna village Sharma Richa*, Chandra Subhash and Singh Amrita
May 2013
Pulp and paper mills are categorized as a core sector industry and are the fifth largest contributor to industrial water pollution. The pollutant, discharge from the pulp and paper industry, affect all aspects of the environment such as water, air and land. Various studies have reported detrimental effects of pulp and paper mill effluent on animals living in water bodies receiving the effluent. The effects are...
Assessing soil amendment potentials of Mucuna pruriens and Crotalaria juncea when used as fallow crops
May 2013
This research was carried out to assess the soil amendment potentials of Mucuna pruriens andCrotalaria juncea when used as fallow crops. The research made use of randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three treatments replicated three times. The study revealed higher mean levels of percentage nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, percentage organic carbon and soil pH after incorporation as compared to...
Evaluation of the effect of Ficus thonningii (blume) on soil physicochemical properties in Ahferom district of Tigray, Ethiopia
May 2013
A study to evaluate the effect of Ficus thonningii (Blume) on soil physicochemical properties was conducted in Ahferom district of Tigray, Ethiopia. For the soil physico-chemical property study, two factors (distance from the tree trunk and soil depth from the ground level) arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with six replications was involved. The distance factor had three levels viz. at half...
Evaluation of the effect of Ficus thonningii (blume) on soil physicochemical properties in Ahferom district of Tigray, Ethiopia
May 2013
A study to evaluate the effect of Ficus thonningii (Blume) on soil physicochemical properties was conducted in Ahferom district of Tigray, Ethiopia. For the soil physico-chemical property study, two factors (distance from the tree trunk and soil depth from the ground level) arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with six replications was involved. The distance factor had three levels viz. at half...
Bioremediation of Uranium in contaminated water samples of Bathinda, Punjab by Desulfovibrio genus
January 2013
Soluble uranium salts enter human body through ground water and foodstuff. World Health Organization (2004) has set 15 µg/L as the "tolerated intake" of soluble uranium in drinking water.Uranium intake above this concentration is toxic to human body. The organ which are most affected are kidney and lungs leading to malfunctioning of kidneys and lung cancer. Soluble uranium is...
Nematode pests of plantain: A case study of Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions of Ghana
January 2013
A survey of plantain farms was conducted in April 2012 at four locations in two districts of Ghana. The purpose was to identify plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) associated with plantain production in Ghana. The locations were Adomakokrom and Kenyasi in the Brong Ahafo, Adanwomase and Mpobi in the Ashanti region. Demographic and sociological data of farmers, plantain root lesion scores, PPN populations per 200...
Growth of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) on degraded isohyperthermic arenic kandiudult amended with Oyster shell in a university farm, Southeastern, Nigeria
December 2012
We studied effect of 6 rates of ground oyster shell (GOS) on the growth characteristics of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in 2007 cropping season. It was a greenhouse experiment arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 6 rates of 0, 250, 500, 750, 1000 and 1250 g/5 kg soil and replicated 4 times. Soil samples were subjected to routine laboratory analyses while growth measurements were also made on...
Spatial patterns and correlation of soil properties of a lowland soil
December 2012
Soil water content (q), bulk density (rb) and associated properties greatly influence important soil and plant processes. A field experiment was carried out in Mococa, São Paulo, Brazil, in a lowland area with the objectives firstly, to assess the spatial variability of selected soil propertiesq, rb, total porosity and microporosity using classical and geostatistical techniques and secondly, to find out...
Temporal evolution of the hydrodynamic behaviour of sandy deposits in the Sahelian part of Burkina Faso
December 2012
Sahelian areas of Burkina Faso are confronted with various natural and anthropogenic processes that can lead to degraded areas where the vegetation is localized mainly in units called "sandy deposits”. Those deposits are subject to temporal dynamics that greatly impact their hydrodynamic behaviour; the initial drying crust evolves frequently to a drying crust in transition, and ultimately to an erosion crust...
Soil physical properties during different development stage of fruit orchards
December 2012
In the Mekong Delta (MD), fruit trees are usually grown on raised-beds to avoid submergence due to annual flooding. The soils are mostly alluvial and disarranged from the natural soils. The soil may be adversely impacted temporally, particularly with its physical properties. The study was conducted on 10 citrus plantations in Hau Giang province, MD, to illustrate if the covariance between clay content and age can be...
Effect of zinc and phosphorus fertilizers application on yield and yield components of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) grown in calcaric cambisol of semi-arid northern Ethiopia
December 2012
A pot experiment under greenhouse conditions to evaluate the effect of P and Zn nutrients on yield and yield components of faba bean (Vicia faba L. CS20DK) was conducted in P and Zn deficient alkaline soil at Mekelle Agricultural Research Center in 2009. A factorial combination of P and Zn fertilization with three levels of P (0, 30, and 60 kgPha-1) and with three levels of Zn (0, 15, and 25 kg Zn ha-1) was laid in...
Assessment of metal contamination in soil and plants from abandoned secondary and primary goldmines in Osun State, Nigeria
November 2012
Heavy metal contamination of soil, water, and crops, and their health impact on residents, is a persistent social issue, and several studies have identified health risks of residents living near abandoned mines. In this study, the heavy metal concentrations in the soil and plants of abandoned gold mines of the primary goldmine and the secondary goldmine, Ilesa-Osun State Nigeria of latitude 7°, 27’N...
Estimation of soil erodibility and rainfall erosivity patterns in the agroecological zones of Ghana
November 2012
In the agroecological zone of the Biemso watershed area in the Ashanti region of Ghana, an estimination of soil erodibility and rainfall erosivity patterns was conducted. The study investigated the temporal variability of rainfall erosivity using the Fournier Index Method and assessed the soil erodibility parameters of sawah site using WEPP technology. Results obtained from the study showed that soil organic...
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