Soil Nutrient Dynamics and Yield of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Following an Amendment with Cattle Manure

Abstract

The availability of cattle manure in the study area needs to be properly utilized to benefit the environment and provide nutrients to crop. A field experiment was conducted during the wet season (June-October) of 2014 planting season at two locations within the Research Farm of the College of Agriculture, Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria to determine the effects of cattle manure rates on soil nutrient distribution and yield of cotton. Four nitrogen rates in cattle manure (150, 200, 250 and 300 kg N/ha) and a control (no amendment) were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental soil was loamy sand whether at the surface (0-15 cm), subsurface (15-30 cm) or sub subsurface (30-60 cm) with clay content increasing down the profile. The soil pH was moderately acid at the surface but strongly acid at the sub surfaces. Nutrient distribution in the soil after cotton harvest shows that nutrients in the soil were affected by rates of application of cattle manure with the values increasing with increase in manure rates and decreasing as the soil depth increases. The yield components such as cottonseed yield, lint yield, seed yield, number of bolls per plant and boll weight were significantly (P < 0.05) improved compared with the control. The highest cottonseed yield of 1453 kg/ha was produced from plots treated with 250 kg N/ha. Therefore, farmers are encouraged to use cattle manure in increasing the fertility level of soil as well as a way of safe agriculture with minimum pollution effects.