20 research outputs found
Optimizing organic manure and plastic mulching to improve cucumber performance, soil water and thermal conditions of an Alfisol in a humid and tropical region
No full textA field experiment was conducted during the 2022 dry season to investigate the effect of organic manure and plastic mulch on soil water and thermal regimes and cucumber growth, yield and water use efficiency at the Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University, Ado- Ekiti southwest Nigeria. The experiment was 2- factorial, laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The organic manure factor consisted of poultry, piggery and no manure while the mulching factor comprised black plastic mulch and no mulch. Soil water content and temperature of the 0 - 10 and 10 - 20 cm layers of the field were monitored while cucumber growth parameters, yield components and water use efficiency data were also collected. Soil temperature was significantly (p 0.05) soil temperature although it was highest in no manure treatment. Mulching significantly (p < 0.05) increased soil water content while poultry manure treatment had the highest soil water content during the growing cycle. Mulching significantly (p < 0.05) increased the number of leaves, leaf area and vine length of cucumber. Both organic manure and mulching significantly (p < 0.05) influenced leaf temperature, number of fruits but not fruit length, fruit diameter, yield and water use efficiency. Furthermore, the combined application of plastic mulch and poultry manure gave the highest yield and water use efficiency of cucumber. It showed that combined poultry manure and plastic mulch could be an ideal combination for soil and water management and conservation for sustainable cucumber production in this area. © 2024 The Author(s
Performance Evaluation of Bamboo(Bambusa vulgaris, Schrad)-pipe and medi-emitter in a gravity flow drip irrigation system.
No full textThe use of bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris, Schrad) in gravity – flow drip irrigation was evaluated at the Teaching and Research Farm, University of Ado Ekiti, Nigeria with leaf amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) as test crop. System involved the use of bamboo as the conveyance structure and medical infusion sets as dripper to deliver water to the field at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 drops of water/minutes. The variation in discharge ranged from 6.35 to 10.21 percent as the flow rate decreases from 30 to 10 drops of water/minute. The corresponding manufacturer’s coefficient of variation ranged from 2.31 to 3.35 percent as the flow rate decreases. Statistical Uniformity Coefficient and Distribution Uniformity varied between 97.21 and 98.33 percent and 96.06 and 97.69 percent respectively as the flow rate increases. There was an increase in plant height on average of 4.85, 12.53, 32.43 and 42.58cm one, two, three and four weeks after sowing while an optimum yield of 4.13Kg/m2 was recorded from 15drops of water/minute. This is a new dimension in affordable drip irrigation technology and an avenue to exploit local and cheap materials whose propagation should be emphasized
Multivariate Analysis of Land Use Impact on Soil Water Content and Some Physicochemical Properties of an Alfisol
No full textLand use could impact soil properties and processes in varying degrees. Therefore, the impact of different land use systems on soil water status and its relationship with some physiochemical properties was studied at the Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. The land use types included native forest (NF); Paddock (P); Oil palm plantation (OP); Teak (TK); new yam plot (NY) and yam plot under fallow (YF). Structure and disturbed surface soils (0 - 15 cm) samples were taken at three (3) locations in each land use type. Soil water content (SWC) significantly varied among the different land use types, with oil palm plantation storing the highest amount of water. The results also showed significant differences in soil bulk density, organic carbon, porosity, texture and hydraulic conductivity among the land use types. SWC associated positively and significantly with organic matter, silt content and silt + clay. The association between SWC and pH and silt/clay were positive but weak while particle density, bulk density and sand content showed negative and significant association. The principal component regression (PCR) showed a highly significant, positive relationship between SWC and the principal components of other physicochemical properties. Cluster analysis showed that SWC is highly related and linked to OM, Bd, Pd, Pt and silt/clay. The results implied that conversion to paddock and continuous cultivation led to depletion in soil water, physical and chemical properties, whereas cultivation of tree crops conserved these soil properties better. Therefore, establishment of tree crop and conservative soil management practices are suggested to prevent agricultural lands from degradation in areas with soils under similar conditions
Degree of compaction, aeration, and soil water retention indices of a sugarcane field without soil disturbance after initial tillage
No full textSoil compaction after initial soil tillage for crop establishment has been a major problem in crop fields because of its deleterious effects on soil functioning and crop performance. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the degree of compaction, soil air capacity, near-surface optimum ratios and water retention characteristics in a sandy loam, Dystrophic Paleudalf initially under different tillage methods for sugarcane crop but without tillage for two seasons in southern Brazil. Initial soil tillage systems consisted of NT: no-tillage; NTC: compacted no-tillage; CT: conventional tillage; and Ch: chiseling of no-tillage. Disturbed and undisturbed soil was sampled from 0 - 10, 10 - 20, 20 - 40 and 40 - 60 cm layers to determine degree of compaction, air capacity, near-surface optimum ratios, soil water retention characteristics, and soil physical quality index S. At initial, NT treatment had the significantly (pThe presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
Competition or facilitation for stored soil water by cover crops in rotation and additional effect of fertilization in a juvenile tung-based intercropping system
No full textIntercropping or agroforestry systems are among the strategies used to prevent soil erosion or crusting and water loss by evaporation in the bare soil during early growth stage of tree crop plantations. However, the pattern of water use in intercropped, juveline orchard crop plantations is still poorly known. This study aimed to evaluate competition or facilitation for soil water stored by cover crops in rotation and the impact of additional fertilization in a juvenile tung-based intercropping system in southern Brazil during the winter and summer periods of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 growing seasons. A split plot in randomized complete block design arrangement, with four replications, was used comprising crambe winter cover crop plus poultry manure or NPK; a mixture of oats and vetch, sunflower, and soybean in rotation; and sole tung as control. Cover crop intercropping significantly increased water content of the surface layer of the juvenile tung soil only at the beginning of the second growing season. The cover crops showed interspecific facilitation for water use by tung during the summer period, but no clear-cut trend for the winter cover crops. The additional organic manure did not enhance profile soil water storage. Any of the summer cover crops (soybean, sunflower, or peanut) could be used for soil and water conservation in juvenile tree crop plantations. Further studies are required during the winter season to establish whether the winter cover crops are competitors or facilitators for stored soil water in agroforestry systems.The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
Soil moisture influences sorptivity and water repellency of topsoil aggregates in native grasslands.
No full textWater repellency is associated to coating of soil particles by hydrophobic substances, usually of organic origin, affecting water dynamics in soil matrix. We analyzed the effect of water repellency on water sorptivity of topsoil aggregates of six soil types under three initial moisture conditions (10 kPa, 100 kPa, and air-dried). Undisturbed soil samples were collected to evaluate sorptivity in the 0-5 cm soil layer at different locations in Pampa Biome in southern Brazil. Disturbed soil samples were also collected for soil particle size distribution, particle density and organic matter content. Sorptivity test was conducted in a tension micro-infiltrometer, using distilled water and ethanol (95% v/v). High values of repellency index R (13.43 in Hapludert, and 8.98 in Dystrudept) of soil aggregates reduced sorptivity and restricted infiltration properties. Repellency index decreased sharply with increase in soil moisture. Therefore, for hydrophobic soils an increase in soil moisture of original air-dry soil reduces hydrophobicity and enhances sorptivity and water infiltration into soil aggregates. High values of water repellency modifies water dynamics in soil aggregates, concealing the effects of matric potential and generating different patterns of conventional water infiltration behavior, especially in dry soil conditions
Is cassava yield affected by inverting tillage, chiseling or additional compaction of no-till sandy-loam soil?
No full textDefining a suitable soil tillage option that provides adequate soil physical conditions for optimum cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) productivity has not been adequately researched in southern Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate, in an Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo Distrófico (Acrisol or Hapludalf), three tillage methods - conventional (inverting) tillage, chiseling, and long-term no-tillage (without and with, additional soil compaction), as affecting soil hydro-physical properties and cassava yield, in southern Brazil. Undisturbed and disturbed soil samples were collected from row and interrow positions, from the soil surface down to 0.40 m depth to determine soil bulk density, degree of compaction, porosity, water retention, plant available water, air and water permeability, mechanical properties (compressibility and elasticity), and chemical properties. The yield of cassava storage roots was obtained at crop physiological maturity. Conventional (inverting) and chisel tillage of soil previously under long-term no-tillage increased soil macroporosity - a composition or capacity physical property – of the surface soil, but did not improve the functioning/intensity properties air and water permeability. Soil reconsolidation over a short-time significantly affects soil structural condition, and thus soil tillage is not needed to improve soil structure. Additional compaction on the no-till soil causes detrimental consequences on composition/capacity and functioning/ intensity physical properties. Nonetheless, neither improvement of soil structure by tillage nor further compaction affects cassava storage root yield in the sandy loam soil. Therefore, no-tillage is the best management system, in which soil loosening is done only during furrowing for cassava-stem planting
Effect of Drip Irrigation Frequency and N-Fertilization on Soil Physical Properties, Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L) in Ado Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria
No full textSoil water budgets are essential in determining the proper timing and amount of optimal irrigation for improving water and nutrient use efficiency in vegetable production A field experiment was therefore setup at the Teaching and Research Farm, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ekiti State University, Ekiti State, Nigeria during 2015 dry season to evaluate the effect of drip irrigation frequency and N-fertilization on soil physical properties, yield and water use efficiency of cucumber (Cucumis sativus). The experiment was a 3x2 factorial in randomized complete block design, with split-plot arrangement in three replications. The main block consisted of three levels of drip irrigation frequency: daily water application (ID), twice weekly water application (I2W) and weekly water application (IW) while the sub-plots were nitrogen fertilization (No fertilizer (N0) and 80 kg N ha-1 (N80)). The results showed that soil bulk density (BD) and water content (SWC) of the 0-10 cm surface layer increased with time and was significantly highest from ID treatment compared with other treatments. N-fertilization had no influence on both BD and SWC whereas cucumber yield was significantly (p<0.05) increased. Reducing the frequency of water application increased cucumber water use efficiency (WUE) whereas N-fertilization had no significant effect on WUE. The different drip irrigation levels caused distinct spatial patterns of SWC and BD. The study showed that cucumber fruit yield will increase with more availability of water as well as good soil structural condition. However, for optimum yield, water saving strategy, reduced cost of pumping and lesser effect on soil structure, drip irrigation scheduling of twice weekly (I2W) combined with N-fertilization is recommended for cucumber cultivation. Keywords: Drip irrigation frequency, soil physical properties, spatio-temporal variability, cucumber yield, water use efficienc
Soil hydrophobicity: comparative study of usual determination methods
No full textHydrophobic or water repellent soils slowly absorb water because of the low wett ability of the soil particles which are coated with hydrophobic organic substances. These pose significant effects on plant growth, water infiltration and retention, surface runoff and erosion. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of tension micro-infiltrometer(TMI) and the water drop penetration time (WDPT) methods in the determination of the hydrophobicity index of eighteen soils from southern Brazil. Soil samples were collected from the 0-5cm soil layer to determine particle size distribution, organic matter content, hydrophobicity index of soil aggregates and droplet penetration time of disaggregated and sieved soil samples. For the TMI method the soil samples were subjected to minor changes due to the use of macroaggregates to preserve the distribution of solid constituents in the soil. Due to the homogeneity of the soil samples the WDPT method gave smaller coefficients of variation unlike the TMI method where the soil structure is preserved. However, both methods had low coefficients of variation, and are thus effective for determining the soil hydrophobicity, especially when the log hydrophobicity index or log WDPT is >1
Calibração do modelo Curva-Número para simulação do escoamento superficial em parcelas experimentais / Curve-Number model calibration for surface runoff simulation in plots
No full textA modelagem hidrológica contribui para o conhecimento de processos que afetam a disponibilidade de recursos hídricos às atividades humanas. O modelo da Curva-Número (CN) é um modelo empírico amplamente usado para simulação do escoamento superficial em bacias hidrográficas, porém, exige ajustes em seus parâmetros que o tornem mais representativo do processo. O objetivo deste trabalho é verificar qual o melhor valor do parâmetro CN para a simulação do escoamento em parcelas. Foram realizadas medições de escoamento acumulado diário em seis parcelas de 15 m por 3,5 m, de 32 eventos entre outubro de 2013 e agosto de 2014. A precipitação diária foi determinada junto ao experimento e utilizada como variável de entrada no modelo. As simulações foram realizadas utilizando planilha eletrônica, ajustando o valor médio do parâmetro CN de acordo com a precipitação acumulada nos cinco dias anteriores, por meio de equações em código de VBA. A análise de desempenho do modelo consistiuna determinação do índice NSE, que indica a acurácia dos dados simulados em relação aos observados. O melhor valor médio de CN, que proporcionou maior índice NSE, foi de 74, porém o desempenho do modelo não foi satisfatório para as condições avaliadas. Portanto, é necessário realizar o ajuste dos parâmetros do modelo às propriedades do solo, utilizando métodos ou modelos de determinação dos parâmetros, que se relacionem fisicamente com o processo
