Search

To assess the agronomic effects of sustainable okra production as impacted by goat manure (GM) and rice husk ash (RHA) on a community-based demonstration farm in Gombe State, field trials were carried out during the wet seasons of 2017 and 2018. The trails consisted of four levels of GM and RHA, each measuring 0.0, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 t ha-1 which were used on Kwadon's local cultivar of okra in a Randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated four times. Findings revealed that days to 50% emergence and establishment count were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by the application of GM and RHA, regardless of rates of application. Other growth-related indices were significantly (P<0.05) higher due to GM, such as plant height at 4, 5, and 6 WAS, number of leaves plant-1 at 4 WAS, and pod diameter. On the other hand, RHA significantly (P<0.05) increased plant height, the number of leaves plant-1 at 5 and 6 WAS, leaf area, shortened days to 50% flowering, and the number of pods plant-1 across the sampling periods and seasons. Similar to this, due to adequate mineralization of organic material through time and space, fresh okra's marketable weight increased in the 2018 season compared to the previous year. Thus, the application of 10.0 t ha-1 of both GM and RHA can be adopted in the production of okra in the study area to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of inorganic agrochemical inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of hectares devoted to cereal production in Africa were affected by Striga infestation across locations and time. A study was conducted in 2012 and 2013 rainy seasons at the Teaching and Research Farms of Niger State College of Agriculture, Mokwa and the Teaching and Research Farms of Federal University of Technology, Minna, in the Southern Guinea Savanna ecology of Nigeria to determine cereal / legume intercropping and N fertilization effects on Striga infestation, Soil C and N and grain yield of maize. The treatments consisted of four inorganic N fertilizer levels (0, 60, 90, 120 kg ha-1), alternate hill and same hill intercropping of Aeschynomene histrix. Intercropping maize with A. histrix has the potential of reducing Striga parasitism with about 33-47% with respect to Striga shoots per m-2 and Striga shoots per plot thus, enhancing maize grain yield. The use of herbaceous legumes in intercropping contributed about 58% SOC and 52-57% reduction in number of S. hermonthica due to application of N using urea, thereby helping to control Striga infestation. Intercropping maize with A. histrix improved the soil organic matter and hence, the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil for good crop growth. Incorporation of the A. histrix residues substantially increased the soil N content. There was response to inorganic N fertilizer application, suggesting the need for N application to maize for optimum grain yield. Nitrogen rate of 60 kg ha-1 was optimum for maize yield in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]