Effects of Integrating Albizia zygia and Tithonia diversifolia on Degraded Humid Alfisol for Maize Performance in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The combined effects Albizia zygia and Tithonia diversifolia biomass on a degraded humid alfisol and maize yield were studied. The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five treatments and three replicates. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and research farm Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Nigeria from 2009 to 2011. The treatments were: Control (no treatment), Abizia zygia at 5 tons/ha, Tithonia diversifolia at 5 tons/ha, Albizia zygia + Tithonia diversifolia at 2.5 tons/ha each, 0PK at 250 kg/ha of single superphosphate (SSP) and 90 kg/ha of murate of potash (KCl). Soil was sampled before planting, soil nitrogen content was determined at 40, 65 and 90 days after planting (DAP), while all other soil properties such as phosphorous, potassium, organic matter, soil pH, total exchange bases, cations exchange capacity, Total soil porosity, Water holding capacity and soil bulk density) were determined. Maize yield at the end of the growing seasons as well as the profitability of the treatments were determined. Soil properties such as: Total porosity, water holding capacity, soil nitrogen, soil pH, organic matter, available phosphorous, total exchange bases and cations exchange capacity were significantly improved by treatments over the control. Maize yields (3.25 tons/ha, 4.25tons/ha and 2.21tons/ha in 2009, 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons respectively) were found to have increased significantly in the plot treated with Albizia + Tithonia over other treatments. In the same vein, the same treatment (Albizia + Tithonia) was found to have returned more net profit {(N155, 487 (US$ 1003.1) and N257, 469 (US$1661.1)} to the farmer over other treatments.