Organic Fertilizer and Mulch Effects on the Physical Properties of an Alfisol and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Yield

ABSTRACT

Concerns about soil physical health deterioration have led to a paradigm shift from conventional farming systems to organic farming systems. However, the adoption of organic fertilizers is slow in many sub-Saharan African countries, where shifting cultivation is still prevalent. Hence, a two-year split-plot field experiment was conducted to assess the potentials of organic fertilizer (OF) applied at 0 (OF₀), 10 (OF₁₀), 15 (OF₁₅), 20 (OF₂₀) and 25 (OF₂₅) t ha⁻¹; and Chromolaena odorata mulch (M) applied at 0 (M₀), 15 (M₁₅) and 30 (M₃₀) t ha⁻¹; in improving the physical properties of an alfisol and ginger (Zingiber officinale) yield. The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Both organic amendments (organic fertilizer and mulch) reduced soil bulk density (ρ_b) and air pores, while markedly increasing soil total porosity (P_T), moisture content and water-filled pores in both years of the study. Though both organic amendments significantly increased plant height of ginger, Chromolaena odorata mulch proved superior to organic fertilizer with a consistent substantial increase in the number of leaves and yield of ginger. Our results showed that applying 20 t ha⁻¹ organic fertilizer or 15 t ha⁻¹ mulch could be sufficient for improving the physical properties and productivity of an alfisol cultivated for ginger production.

KEYWORDS:

• Organic fertilizer
• chromolaena odorata mulch
• soil air pores
• soil bulk density
• ginger yield

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).