The response of chinese cabbage (brassica campestris l.) to farmyard manure slurry applied to an acid soil
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Date
2003
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
A glasshouse pot experiment was conducted at the Sokoine University of Agriculture
(SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania, to evaluate the response of Chinese cabbage (Brassica
campestris L) to farmyard manure slurry (FYM-slurry) applied to an acid soil as an
alternative source of plant nutrients. The soil used in this study was collected from the
central part of SUA farm and the FYM-slurry from the storage lagoon at Magadu Dairy
Unity, SUA. Based on laboratory analytical data of the soil and FYM-slurry, the soil
was categorised as of low fertility status and the nutrient contents in the FYM-slurry
(solid and liquid portions) categorised as medium. Eighteen, 12kg, 8mm sieved soil
samples portions were weighed into 18, 15 litre capacity plastic buckets and moistened
to field capacity. Six, twenty one days, old Chinese cabbage seedlings raised in a
nursery were planted in each bucket and the moisture content in the buckets maintained
at about field capacity. Just before applying the FYM-slurry, the plants were thinned to
3 plants per bucket. FYM-slurry at equivalent rates of 0, 166.6, 208.33, 250, 291.67,
333.33, 375, 416.67 and 500m3ha' were applied to the buckets 7 days from the
transplanting date in six equal splits at intervals of ten days and each treatment was
replicated twice. The FYM-slurry was incorporated into the topsoil in the buckets
followed with addition of water so as to maintain the soils in the buckets at field
capacity, throughout the growing period. At 66 days from the date of transplanting, the
whole Chinese cabbage plants above the soil in the buckets were harvested and fresh
weights according to treatments recorded. The fresh plant materials were then dried to
constant weight at 70°C, ground into fine powder and nutrient contents determined. It
was observed that application of FYM・slurry significantly increased the fresh and dry
matter yields and the macronutrient contents of the Chinese cabbage plants? The
increases were attributed to increase in the fertility status of the soil consequent to the
release of the plant nutrients contained in the FYM-slurry through chemical and
biological transformations of the FYM-slurry. The micronutrient contents of the Chinese
cabbage decreased with increasing levels of FYM・slurry and this was probably due to
the increase in soil pH. It was concluded that FYM-sluny could substitute inorganic
fertilisers and other organic soil amendments as a source of plant nutrients fbr Chinese
cabbage and other short-term vegetable crops. The FYM-slurry improved physical.
chemical and biological attributes of soil fertility and productivity hence the positive
response by the Chinese cabbage plants to the FYM-slurry. FYM-slurry application rates
at 250-300m3ha' were suggested as optimal levels fbr Chinese cabbage, subject to
verification under field conditions.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Chinese cabbage, Brassica campestris, Farmyard-manure slurry, Acid soil