Comparative effects of pig slurry and oil-palm bunch ash on soil acidification on tomato plots in Okitipupa, Southwest, Nigeria.

Abstract

The experiment's goal was to lower the soil's acidity by utilizing oil palm bunch ash and pig slurry in combination. At Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology's Teaching and Research Farm
screen house in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. Pig slurry and oil palm bunch were added at recommended quantities and rates of 0 g/kg, 500 g/kg, and 1000 g/kg. Nine distinct treatments were developed, along with a control, and each was replicated thrice. Before applying, soil samples from the experimental plots were taken after a 37-day incubation period, and they were examined in a laboratory to assess several indicators of soil fertility. These comprised calcium, magnesium, potassium (K), accessible phosphorus (P), total nitrogen (TN), pH, organic matter content (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Compared to the control, the experimental results showed a signicant difference in the soil fertility indicators due to the addition of organic amendments. The addition of the amendments changed the pH of the soil and increased the concentrations of EC, CEC, Mg, Ca, Na, OM, N, P, and K, all of which indicate increased soil fertility. The results provide credence to the theory that adding these organic amendments to agricultural soils can help with sustainable soil management techniques. More investigation and long-term eld-scale trials are necessary to conrm the observed effects and determine the implications of organic amendments on soil health and crop yield under actual agricultural conditions.