International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol.7, No. 15, 124-132
129
Mean followed by the same letter(s) within a treatment group are not significantly different at 5% probability
level using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT).
Also in 2014/2015, combine application of 10 t/ha
-1
of PM and 10 tons/hectare of SBE recorded the highest values
of DMY (3.64), Cob yield (3.80), Grain yield (3.00), Harvest index (0.87) and leaf nitrogen (0.44). These values
are significantly higher than the values obtained from the control plots. However, there was no significant
difference in yield values obtained from plots treated with 10 t/ha
-1
PM and 7.5 – 10 t/ha
-1
SBE (Table 5b). From
all results obtained from this investigation, all plots treated with the combination of SBE and PM gave
significantly higher value than control plot. The best performed level of PM (10 t/ha
-1
) in 2013/2014 combined
with the best level of SBE (7.5 – 10 t/ha
-1
) in 2014/1015 to give the highest values in both vegetative growth and
yield of maize.
Table 5b Interactive effect of spent bleaching earth and pig manure on the yield and nitrogen utilization of maize (Zea mays L.) at
harvest 12WAP (2014/2015)
Treatments
Parameters
SBE
PM
DMY
(ton/ha)
Cob
yield
(ton/ha)
Grain yield
(ton /ha)
Harvest index Leaf N g kg-1
0
0
1.80bc
1.80d
1.40c
0.74c
0.18b
5.00
1.85b
2.60c
2.11b
0.77b
0.24ab
7.50
2.62a
2.90b
2.17a
0.83a
0.27a
10.00
2.64a
3.00a
2.20a
0.83a
0.29a
ns
5
0
2.51c
2.50c
1.85c
0.82c
0.31c
5.00
3.52b
3.20b
2.53b
0.85b
0.35b
7.50
3.60a
3.80a
2.80ab
0.87a
0.39ab
10.00
3.64a
3.80a
3.00a
0.87a
0.44a
ns
a
a
a
a
PM
*
*
*
*
*
SBE * PM **
**
**
**
**
Note: SBE = Spent Bleaching Earth; PDM = Pig Dung Manure; ns = not significantly different at LSD (0.05) probability level; * =
significantly at LSD (0.05), ** = Highly significantly at LSD (0.05)
Mean followed by the same letter(s) within a treatment group are not significantly different at 5% probability
level using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT).
4 Discussion
The climatic data favourable to maize production is typical of the tropics. In spite of the climate change scenarios
in seasonal precipitation (Hulme et al., 1992) rainfall distribution pattern is still bimodal in the study area. This
therefore contributed to higher volume of water deposited in inland valley swamp (lowland depression) ecology,
thus facilitating dry season farming.
The inland valley swamp (IVS) of the study area was low in plant nutrients, slightly acidic, resulting from
flooding and heavy leaching of highly drained sandy soil with low pH markedly by forcing variables like soil
temperatures, parent materials and hydrology. The sand proportion of soil in the study site was high. This implies
that basic cations such as Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, Magnessium and Silicate would be leached more easily.
Brammer and Brinkman (1990) linked the low fertility of soils in level land or depressional sites to temporary
flooding or water saturation that results in leaching and hence low organic matter decomposition.
To achieve a greater productivity of IVS in crop production, activities that will improve the soil fertility and
increase pH value must be put in place. Application of either SBE or PM at rates different from 0 (zero) had
increased the pH and organic matter content of the soil in the study area. An increase soil pH with the application
of ash was reported by different researcher (Ojeniyi, 2007; Aderibigbe and Eleduma, 2016). Favoured microbial
