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DOI: 10.14738/aivp.86.9072

Publication Date: 31st October, 2020

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.86.9072

Effects of NPK Fertilizer and Farmyard Manure Rates on Millet

Performance in Sudan and Sahel Savanna Soils Of Northeast

Nigeria

1

Adam Lawan Ngala, 2

Bukar Bababe and2

Aishatu Mala Musa 1

Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri. P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri,

Nigeria. 2

Department of Soil Science, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, P.M.B. 2076, Yola, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Field experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2009 rainy seasons at the Research and Demonstration

Farms of Lake Chad Research Institute at Maiduguri and Gashua stations to study the effect of NPK

fertilizer and farmyard manure rates on millet performance in Sudan and Sahel savannas of northeast

Nigeria. The treatments consisted of factorial combinations of three levels of NPK fertilizer (NPK 0:0:0,

30:15:15 and 60:30:30 kg ha-1

) and four levels of farmyard manure (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 tonnes ha-1

). The

experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated three times.

The parameters determined were plant height at 3, 6 and 9 weeks after sowing (WAS), straw, grain and

above ground total biomass yields. The results of soil physico-chemical properties indicated low fertility

status as typified by the low contents of N, P, Ca, Mg and low CEC, but moderate K. The application of

NPK fertilizer and farmyard (FYM) manure either alone or in combination significantly influenced most

of the parameters. The individual effect of NPK at half and full recommended rates were at par on most

of the parameters, but significantly superior to the control. The individual effect of FYM was variable

and more pronounced with the two higher rates of 5.0t and 7.5t FYM compared to the two lower rates

of 0.0t and 2.5t FYM rates. Optimum millet growth and yield were superior with NPK 30:15:15, combined

with 5.0t FYM more than other combination rates at early growth stage. At mid and late stage of growth,

interaction of NPK 30:15:15 + 7.5t FYM produced significantly the tallest plants. Grain, straw and total

biomass yield in Maiduguri were 129%, 71%, and 76% increase over the control, respectively. Similar

results were obtained in Gashua, with higher yields at NPK 30:15:15 + 5.0t FYM. Based on the results it

can be concluded that application of NPK 30:15:15 combined with 5.0t and 7.5t ha-1 FYM could be viable

management practice for sustained millet production in Sudan and Sahel savannas of northeast Nigeria.

Keywords: NPK fertilizer, Farmyard manure, Millet yield, Sudan and Sahel savannas.

1 Introduction

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is a staple food crop for about six million poor people in the

most marginal agricultural lands of north-east Nigeria and therefore plays a critical role in food security

(Elemo and Chube, 1995). These marginal lands are regions where the expanding desert is destroying

the productivity of approximately 25 million hectares of land every year, creating conditions on which

this crop can be cultivated but with low yields (Ikwelle, 1998). In the drier and low resource agricultural

situations of these regions where other sister crops such as corn cannot grow or often fail, this cereal

will produce grain, but yields are low as a result of low and erratic rainfall, high temperature, low

inherent soil fertility, and numerous biotic stresses. The yield of this crop was observed to be declining

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European Journal of Applied Sciences, Volume 8 No. 6, December 2020

Services for Science and Education, United Kingdom 63

in recent years. This was attributed to nutrient depletion relative to addition (Maiangwa, 2009) and has

been reported to be one of the most important constraints leading to the decline in yield of the crop in

these zones. In addition, blanket nutrient recommendations were made and applied based on estimates

and there is paucity of information on soil-plant nutrient balance study and if available are mostly

generalized.

Different strategies have been adopted over the years in order to assess the extent of nutrient losses

and offer solutions to the problems. The ability of soils to provide nutrients for crop production is

enhanced by systematic returns of nutrients. Maintenance of proper nutrient status in soil is a key factor

for high yield production. In order to properly manage nutrient balance of a soil system in a sustainable

way, it is necessary first to know the availability, depletion and balance of nutrient in a soil system (Myint

et al., 1997). It is recognized that sustainable high yield systems require both adequate nutrient supplies

to growing crops as well as continual improvements to the soil’s nutrient status and quality (De ren and

Wan-fang, 1998). Innovative combinations of organic and inorganic nutrient sources must be used to

increase inputs and to recycle the nutrients once they reach the soil. This suggests that part of the

problem of nutrient deficiencies can be addressed through judicious use of organic inputs. Nyathi et al.

(2003) while studying the efficacy of combinations of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients

concluded that synergism existed only when combinations of inputs to sandy soil included organic

fertilizers. Kwari et al. (1998) also recognized the beneficial effect of continuous application of FYM along

with mineral fertilizers.

The essential aspect of maintaining soil fertility is making available in the upper layers of the soil (0-20

cm) sufficient nutrients in the right proportion to allow plants to absorb them, irrespective of total

nutrient content. In order to restore soil fertility on a sustainable basis, the initial steps involved are the

monitoring how soil fertility is being degraded and rate of degradation under continuous cropping.

Application of mineral fertilizers in the soil of semi-arid region is a costly affair owing to their non- availability in sufficient quantity and if available, high cost (Brady and Weil, 2002). The characteristic of

mineral fertilizers is that their beneficial effect is more in the short-run as compared to organic sources,

though the availability of the later is also a constraint. Studies conducted around Sudan savanna region

point to the direction that while the pronounced yield increase, consequent on mineral fertilizer

application, is apparent in the short-run, their continuous use, however, tends to alter the physico- chemical properties of the soil, resulting in progressive decline in fertility (Rayar, 2000). If mineral

fertilizers are used in conjunction with organic manures, the productivity of the soils is expected to

improve significantly.

Increasing the productivity of these crops in such low-yielding and unpredictable environment, to keep

pace with the increasing food demand of the growing population in the region is a task requiring

concerted efforts. This calls for Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) as an approach in addressing

soil fertility decline, especially in northeast Nigeria. The focus of this study is therefore to confirm the

effects of FYM and NPK and to create new agronomy synergistic combinations for application to crops

desirable for soil fertility management and sustainable crop production.

2 Materials and Methods

Rainy season field experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2009 in two different agro-ecological zones

of north-east Nigeria. The locations are Research and Demonstration Farm of Lake Chad Research

Institute, Maiduguri (11o 51’

N, 13o 16’

E), Borno state in Sudan savanna and at the Institute’s

experimental site, Gashua (12o 49’

N, 11o 10’

E), Yobe state in Sahel savanna of Nigeria as indicated in

Figure 1. The soils of the experimental sites are characterized by aeolian sand formation, loosely

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Adam Lawan Ngala, Bukar Bababe and Aishatu Mala Musa. Effects of NPK Fertilizer and Farmyard Manure Rates

on Millet Performance in Sudan and Sahel Savanna Soils Of Northeast Nigeria. European Journal of Applied

Sciences, Volume 8 No 6, Dec 2020; pp: 62-80

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.86.9072 64

aggregated with a surface sandy loam texture (Chiroma et al., 2003; Kwari and Bibinu, 2002). The soils

are Typic Ustipsamment in Maiduguri (Rayar, 1988) and Psammentic Paleustalf in Gashua (Saidou et al.,

2010). The soils are low in organic carbon, total N, and available P and moderate K. Soil pH is slightly

acidic in Gashua and neutral in Maiduguri (Table 1). Land development and use during the last forty

years has been abusive and exploitative and resulted in degradation of soil and destruction of vegetation

with resultant reduced productivity of both natural and managed ecosystem, leading to desert

encroachment.

Figure 1: The study locations.

Source: Unimaid GEONETCast (2016).

2.1 Treatments and Experimental Design

The experiment consisted of factorial combinations of three levels of NPK fertilizer (NPK 0:0:0, 30:15:15

and 60:30:30 kg ha-1

) and four levels of farmyard manure (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 tonnes ha-1

) for millet as

described by FPDD (1990) for high, medium and low fertility soils. The treatments were arranged in a

randomized complete block design and replicated three times in plot sizes of 4.5 m × 5.25 m.

2.2 Experimental Procedure

The experimental fields were manually cleared, ploughed and harrowed to fine tilt with tractor in the

first season and manually prepared by maintaining the previous plots the second season. Farmyard

manure was applied two weeks before planting. One-third of nitrogen and full phosphorus and

potassium were applied at planting using NPK 15-15-15, SSP (18% P2O5) and Urea (46% N). The remaining

N were applied as micro-dose at 4 and 6 weeks after planting. Millet (SOSAT C-88) seeds obtained from

Lake Chad Research Institute, were sown in the plots after treating the seeds with Apron plus (metalaxyl)

at the rate of 0.25 a. i. kg ha-1

. Weeds were controlled manually using hand hoe first at 3 WAS and

subsequently at three week intervals. Millet and sorghum were harvested after reaching physiological

maturity.

2.3 Collection of Data

2.3.1 Collection, preparation and analysis of soil samples

Three sets of six representative soil samples were collected from the experimental fields at a depth of 0

- 0.2 m in both locations before the experiments. The samples were air dried under shed, bulked, mixed

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