Influence of Different Soil Application Methods of Mucuna puriens on Soil Chemical Properties and Maize Yield in Ghana

Abstract

Damaged and depleted soils need to be rebuilt, improved and used efficiently to support permanent agriculture. Generally there have been several attempts to use cover crops as soil amendments to improve soil management and conservation while improving soil productivity. This experiment was conducted between December 2011 and December 2013 at the multipurpose nursery of the University of Education, Winneba, Mampong Campus, Ghana to determine the growth and yield response of maize and some soil chemical properties to Mucuna pruriens as soil amendments. The treatments used were; Mucuna pruriens as green manure, Mucuna pruriens as live mulch, Mucuna pruriens as in-situ mulch and control (no Mucuna pruriens) laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The growth and yield parameters of maize measured were plant height, stem girth, leaf area index (LAI), 100 seed weight, mean cob weight and grain yield. Organic carbon and organic matter, soil pH, total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), exchangeable potassium (K) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were measured for soil chemical properties. The study showed that Mucuna pruriens as in-situ mulch recorded the highest grain yield and cob weight followed by Mucuna pruriens as green manure, Mucuna pruriens as live mulch and the control. Although Mucuna pruriens as live mulch recorded   higher levels of the soil’s chemical properties, it did not give the best growth and yield performance of maize (test crop) probably as a result of its allellopathic effects and the competition between the live Mucuna pruriens and the maize plant for space, water and nutrients.