Use of partially-decomposed cattle and chicken manure amended with wood-ash in two South African arable soils with contrasting texture: effect on nutrient uptake, early growth, and dry matter yield of maize

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effects of applying wood-ash to two soils amended with partially-decomposed cattle and chicken manure on the uptake of nutrients, early growth and dry matter yields of maize (Zea mays L.). A clay and silty loam soil was used. Manure was applied to each soil in pots at rates equivalent to 0, 5, and 15 t ha^{− 1}, while ash was applied to each of the manure treatments at rates equivalent to 0 and 2 t ha^{− 1}. In both soils, the addition of chicken manure produced higher plant height, stem diameter, leaves per plant, dry matter yield and tissue concentration of protein, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) than cattle manure. The responses of maize due to manure application were higher in the loam than clay soil. Application of cattle manure produced responses which were less than control in many cases. This was presumed to be due to microbial immobilization of nutrients.

Generally, wood-ash improved the responses of maize in the loam but not in the clay soil. The addition of wood-ash to manure in clay soil reduced plant height, dry matter yield, plant tissue protein and phosphorus of maize compared to the control. In both soils, however, the addition of wood-ash improved responses where cattle and not chicken manure was applied. In the latter, the increases in response due to manure rate were higher without ash than with ash. Within the cattle manure rates, wood-ash produced better responses when 5 t ha^{− 1} manure was applied compared to 15 t ha^{− 1}. It is suggested that higher rates of wood-ash application may have been necessary.

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by a grant from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. We thank Laboratory staff at the North-West Provincial Department of Agriculture (Potchefstroom) for conducting the analyses of maize tissues. Mr. K. S. Gareseitse, of the Soil Testing Laboratory at the University of North-West, conducted some of the soil analyses reported in the paper for which we are greatly indebted.