Evaluation of soil physical and chemical characteristics around wood waste production site in Emeyal Ii, Bayelsa State

Abstract

Wood waste is generated from various sawmills across the country is a popular organic material usually found to be scattered or accumulated in soils around timber processing sites, and often suitable for use as a growing medium as well as a supplement in animal farms such as poultry birds. This study was aimed at assessing the soil's physical and chemical characteristics around the wood waste production site in Emeyal II, Bayelsa State. Soil samples were collected (0-20cm depth) from two (2) sampling locations; wood waste production and the control sites (an area outside the wood waste production site. The soil physical and chemical properties of the two experimental sites were analyzed using standard procedures. The results of this study revealed that the textural class of soil in the two sampling locations was sandy loamy with sand (72.59 and 69.50%) and silt (17.02 and 18.17%) proportions for wood waste production and the control sites, respectively. The bulk density and total porosity for wood waste production site were lower than that of the control. The pH value of the wood waste production site was relatively lower than that of the control. The contents of organic carbon, organic matter, potassium, calcium, magnesium and cation exchange capacity at the wood waste production sampling location were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of the control. This study suggests that although the use of wood waste has been shown to widen the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of the soil, judicial application of organic manure from wood waste to nutrients deficient soils could be a beneficial alternative to chemical fertilizers.