EFFECTS OF POULTRY MANURE ON SELECTED PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL SOIL PROPERTIES AND PERFORMANCE OF MILLET IN SOKOTO, SUDAN SAVANNA, NIGERIA.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The experiment was conducted at the Dry-Land Teaching and Research Farm Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. The aim was to investigate the effect of poultry manure on selected soil properties and performance of millet. The treatments consisted of five levels of poultry manure 2t/ha, 4t/ha, 6t/ha, and 8t/ha and a control where no poultry manure was applied. The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated four times. Soil sample was collected before and after the experiment and were analyzed for selected physical and chemical properties. The following physical and chemical properties were determined and analyzed; particle size distribution, soil pH, CEC, organic carbon and organic matter, Exchangeable bases, available phosphorus and total nitrogen. Agronomic parameters were also measured. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS. The result obtained from the experiment revealed that poultry manure had significant (P<0.05) effect on the selected soil chemical properties considered and millet performance in the study area. This research therefore, recommends application of poultry manure at 8t/ha for better soil amendment and millet performance in the study area.