Response of rice (Oryza Sativa) to organic and inorgainc manures in an Ultisol, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

A study was conducted to compare the response of rice to organic and inorganic manures at Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria. The experiment lasted between 2002 and 2003 cropping seasons (April-November). The organic manures were sewage sludge and poultry droppings, while the inorganic manure was Urea. The treatments were applied in four rates each of the organic and the inorganic manures. Significant differences (P = 0.05) in plant height, number of tillers and grain yield respectively, were observed between plants treated with inorganic and organic manures. However organic manure application doses of over 20 t ha^-1 reduced plant growth and grain yield. Improvements in soil physical and chemical properties owing to organic manure application was observed to have led to comparable performance between the plants in plots treated with organic and inorganic manures. Sewage sludge and poultry droppings at the rates of 20 t ha^-1 were therefore concluded to be a viable alternative to urea in rice production in the study area.

Keywords: organic manure, inorganic manure, crop growth, crop yield

Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Sciences Vol 3(1) 2005: 9-14