Nutrient Release Patterns of Tithonia Compost and Poultry Manure in Three Dominant Soils in the Southern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria

Aim: Incubation experiment was conducted to determine nutrient release patterns of tithonia compost and poultry manure in three dominant soils in the southern Guinea savanna, Nigeria.

Study Design: Complete randomized design replicated three times.

Methodology: Two- kilogram surface soil (0-15 cm depth) each of the three dominant soils, (Itagunmodi (Rhodic Paleutult), Egbeda (Oxic Paleustult), and Majeroku (Abruptic Tropaqualf) was weighed into plastic pots, replicated three times and arranged in a completely randomized design. Tithonia diversifolia compost (tithonia) and poultry manure were applied at the rate of 5 tDM ha-1 to each pot as necessary. Pots without compost were included for comparison. The pots were covered with a double layer of 0.05 mm thick polyethylene film. At the end of 0, 7, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days, the incubated soil was sampled and analyzed for pH, N and P contents.

Results: Compared with the control, incubation of organic residues increased soil pH, however, changes in soil pH varied in the soils. Poultry manure was more effective in reducing soil acidity in Majeroku (Abruptic Tropaqualf) and Itagunmodi (Rhodic Paleutult) soils than in Egbeda (Oxic Paleustult) soil. Mean changes in available P with incubation of tithonia compost were 1.2, 1.65 and 3.07 mg kg-1 in Egbeda, Itagunmodi and Majeroku soils respectively while with the incubation of poultry manure were 3.79, 1.92 and 6.06 mg kg-1 in the three soils respectively. Incubation of the residues reduced available N except for poultry manure which enhanced N availability in Majeroku soil.

Conclusion: Nutrient release pattern of the residues varied with soil types and are dependent on soil characteristics that may influence nutrient use efficiency by crops. Poultry manure was more effective in increasing P availability in the soils than tithonia compost.