Comparative Evaluation of Animal Manures and Their Ashes on Soil pH and Electrical Conductivity in some Southwestern Nigerian Soils

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 2018-07, Vol.49 (12), p.1442-1454
• Main Authors: Olowoboko, Toyin B., Azeez, Jamiu O., Olujimi, Olanrewaju O., Babalola, Oluwatoyin A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural pollution; Agricultural wastes; Animal manures; Animal wastes; Ashes; Dynamics; Electrical conductivity; Electrical resistivity; Evaluation; Farmyard manure; Field tests; Incubation period; Manure ash; Manures; Mineral nutrients; Nitrogen; nutrient management; Nutrients; organic amendment; pH effects; Phosphorus; Potassium; Soil; Soil analysis; Soil chemistry; Soil dynamics; Soil pH; soil reaction; Soils
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2018.1464184

To promote the use of animal waste in agriculture and prevent environmental pollution, an alternative product from the waste should be appraised. This necessitated the study to characterize animal manure ashes and determine its effect on soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) dynamics. Dried manures of cattle, goat, and poultry, their ashes, and nitrogen (N)-phosphorus​-potassium were applied to soil at 120 kg N ha −1 .​ Soils collected fortnightly were analyzed for pH and EC. Results indicated that nutrients in manure ashes were comparable to that of dried manures. Changes in pH and EC were not predictable, application of manure ash increased pH by 12% and 13%, 23% and 14%, 20% and 3% while EC increased by 616% and 109%, 1274% and 156%, 2992% and 458%, relative to dried manures and control during incubation, screenhouse, and field experiments, respectively. It was concluded that incorporation of manure ashes increased soil pH and EC although dynamics were unpredictable.