Effect of Site-Specific Application of N and K Fertilizers on Cashew Growth and Yield in Ochaja, Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Ochaja Substation of the Cocoa Research Institute in Ibadan, Nigeria. Ochaja is located in the guina savanna zone of Nigeria. Plantation soil nutrient requirements were determined prior to applying the required fertilizers. The soil was deficient in nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), with values ​​of 0.41 g/kg soil and 0.012 cmol/kg soil, respectively, at depths 0–40 cm. This value was used to calculate cashew fertilization rates of 54 kg N/ha and 84 kg K2O/ha. Based on these values, four treatment combinations of two rates of nitrogen fertilizer and two rates of potassium fertilizer were formed and applied to young cashew trees on the field. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied at 0 and 54 kg N/ha while the Potassium was applied at 0 and 84 kg K/ha. Treatments were placed in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications, Cashew growth, nut yield and soil nutrient characteristics were measured. The first dose was applied in June while the second dose was applied in September of 2019 and 2020. Application of N fertilizer had a significant lowering effect on soil pH at both soil depths compared to the control and compared to N and K fertilizers applied together. Similarly, application of potassium-based fertilizer, with or without nitrogen fertilizer, slightly increased soil pH by 5.4%. Soil N had a significant effect (P < 0.05). Total N ranged from 0.5 g/kg to 0.7 g/kg soil for fertilizer treatments. N and K fertilizers did not significantly improve available soil phosphorus (P) across fertilization treatments. Exchangeable K in soil followed a similar trend with available P in different treatments. Yield of cashew nuts (280kg) improved significantly (P < 0.05) under application of sole nitrogen fertilizer and the control.