An assessment of physical properties and water holding capacity of soil under different fertilizer applications

Abstract

This study was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti to evaluate the water holding capacities of soil under different fertiliz-ers. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD). The treatments: control, poultry waste, biochar and urea fertilizer replicated four times were incorporated into the soil and maize seed planted. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis. Soil samples were analyzed for moisture contents, bulk densities, particle densities and water holding capacities. Maize yield was also analyzed. The result obtained showed a significant (p< 0.05) changes in maize yield for the different fertilizers. It also shows a non-significant (p<0.05) effect on water holding capacities of the soils incorporated with different fertilizers. The study concluded that fertilizers has no effect on the water holding capacity of the soil and that poultry waste amended soil will produce higher yield.

Keywords

• water holding capacity
• biochar
• poultry waste
• urea fertilizer