Comparative effects of undigested and anaerobically digested poultry manure on the growth and yield of maize (Zea mays, L)

Abstract

A comparative study of the effects of undigested and anaerobically digested poultry manure and conventional inorganic fertilizer on the growth characteristics and yield of maize was investigated at Ibadan, Nigeria. The pot experiment consisted of sixty (60) nursery bags, set out in the greenhouse. The treatments, thoroughly mixed with soil, were: control (untreated soil), inorganic fertilizer, (NPK 20:10:10) applied at the 120 kgN/ha; air-dried undigested and anaerobically digested manure applied at 12.5 g/pot, or 25.0 g/pot or 37.5 g/pot, and or 50.0 g/pot. Plant height, stem girth, leaf area, number of
leaves at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after planting (WAP) and stover mass and grain yield were measured.
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P 0.05 was used to further determine the relationships among the
factors investigated. Generally, results in respect of crops treated with digested manure, were quite comparable with those treated with undigested manure and inorganic fertilizer, right from 2WAP to 6WAP. Stover yield was increased to as much as 1.58, 1.65 and 2.07 times by inorganic fertilizer, digested and undigested manure, respectively while grain yields were increased by only 200% with inorganic fertilizer, but by up to 812 and 933% by digested and undigested manure, respectively. In
conclusion, digested poultry manure enhanced the growth characteristics of the treated plants for the maize variety used. As observed, the order of grain yield was undigested manure > digested manure > inorganic fertilizer.