Effect of the Application of Poultry Manure and Wood Ash on Maize (Zea mays L.) Performance

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of the application of poultry manure and wood ash on the growth and grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.). The poultry manure was applied two weeks prior to planting to allow for proper decomposition. Wood ash was applied a day before planting. There were three treatments in all including the control and the treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Plant height and leaf area were taken at three weeks after planting to nine weeks after planting with an interval of two weeks. The grain yield was taken at eleven weeks after planting and was dried, weighed and recorded. The results showed that poultry manure significantly increased plant height (192.0 cm) and grain yield (4.83 t/ha) but has no significant effect on the number of leaves and leaf area with 12cm and 3403.6cm2 respectively. The values of plant height and leaf area of the control were relatively high compared with other treatments. This can be attributed to the availability of Nitrogen in the soil. The wood ash was found to give the lowest values for nitrogen as well as vegetative growth of maize, this could be attributed to the fact that nitrogen tends to volatilize when in contact with alkaline mediums and consequently affect vegetative growth of maize.