Change in Soil Fertility and Beetroot Productivity after Single and Mixed Application of Basalt Dust, Poultry Manure and NPK 20-10-10 in Nkwen (Cameroon Volcanic Line)

Pierre Wotchoko^1, , Primus Azinwi Tamfuh^{2, 3}, David Guimolaire Nkouathio⁴, Djibril Gus Kouankap Nono¹, Christabel Simoben Bongkem¹, Marie LouiseVohnyui Chenyi⁴ and Dieudonné Bitom²

¹Department of Geology, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Bamenda, P.O Box 39, Bambili, Cameroon

²Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon

³Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering, National Higher Polytechnic Institute, University of Bamenda, P.O. Box 39, Bamenda, Cameroon

⁴Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. box 67, Dschang, Cameroon

Cite this paper

Pierre Wotchoko, Primus Azinwi Tamfuh, David Guimolaire Nkouathio, Djibril Gus Kouankap Nono, Christabel Simoben Bongkem, Marie LouiseVohnyui Chenyi and Dieudonné Bitom. Change in Soil Fertility and Beetroot Productivity after Single and Mixed Application of Basalt Dust, Poultry Manure and NPK 20-10-10 in Nkwen (Cameroon Volcanic Line). World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2019; 7(4):137-148. doi: 10.12691/WJAR-7-4-4

Abstract

This work aims to compare the effects of basalt dust, poultry manure and NPK 20-10-10, single and combined, on the growth and yield of beetroot (Beta vulgaris). Thus, fieldwork was preceded by land evaluation and standard laboratory soil analysis. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) on a 172.5 m² experimental plot was used to investigate the effects of nine treatments: control soil (T₀), T₁ (5 tons ha^-1 basalt dust), T₂ (0.7 tons ha^-1 NPK 20-10-10), T₃ (20 tons ha^-1 poultry manure), T₄ (2.5 tons ha^-1 basalt dust), T₅ (0.35 tons ha^-1 NPK 20-10-10 + 10 tons ha^-1 poultry manure), T₆ (10 tons ha^-1 poultry manure + 2.5 tons ha^-1 basalt dust), T₇ (0.35 tons ha^-1 NPK 20-10-10 + 2.5 tons ha^-1 basalt dust) and T₈ (0.25 tons ha^-1 NPK 20-10-10 + 6.5 tons ha^-1 poultry manure + 2.5 tons ha^-1 basalt dust). The main results showed that land limitation was severe (N₁), due to soil acidity, and potentially unsuitable for beetroot cultivation. The control (T₀) was acidic (pH=4.8) but treatment raised the pH to 6.56, 6.76 and 4.91 for basalt dust, poultry manure and NPK 20-10-10, respectively. The yields were recorded in decreasing order as T₃>T₈> T₆>T₅>T₇>T₂ >T₄>T₁>T₀. T₁ had the highest capacity to provide nutrients to soils and to balance nutrient availability to plants. T₃ alone boosted immediate productivity by improving soil acidity. The most economic treatment was T₈ suggesting a reduction in chemical fertilizer input and importation and popularization of local natural fertilizers.

Keywords

soil remineralisation, basalt dust, poultry manure, beetroot, NPK 20-10-10, Cameroon Volcanic Line

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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