Potentials of rice mill waste as soil amendment: Part 2: Effect on corn growth and changes in selected soil chemical properties

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1 International Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Soil Science (ISSN: ) Vol. 2(2) pp , February 2012 Available online Copyright 2011 International Research Journals Full Length Research Paper Potentials of rice mill waste as soil amendment: Part 2: Effect on corn growth and changes in selected soil chemical properties C. N. Mbah 1, Nweke A.I. 2 and Njoku C 1. 1 Department of Soil Science and Environmental Management, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. P.M.B. 053 Abakaliki Ebonyi State, Nigeria. 2 Department of Soil Science. Anambra State University, Uli. Accepted 12 December, 2011 A field study to evaluate the effects of burnt, unburnt and mixtures of burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes on soil chemical properties and corn growth was conducted in 2008, and 2009 cropping seasons, and a residual trial in 2010 cropping season. The burnt, unburnt + burnt and unburnt rice mill waste were applied at a rates of 0 (control), 10 and 20 t ha- 1 each and replicated 3 times. Results of the study showed higher value of OC, TN, avail P, Ca 2+ Mg 2+, K + and Na + in waste amended soil compared to the control. Similarly, higher plant heights were observed in the waste amended plots relative to the control in the 3 years. Burnt, unburnt and mixtures of unburnt and burnt rice mill waste could be used as soil amendment to improve soil properties and crop production. Keywords: Amendment, soil properties, cropping season, rice mill waste, plant height. INTRODUCTION The practice of leaving land fallow for some years in order to maintain soil fertility can no more meet-up the demand for food crops in the tropics. There is need to apply fertilizers to maintain soil fertility. However, the use of chemical fertilizer to sustain crop production in the tropics cannot be for long term basis (Nambiar, 1995). This according to Mbagwu (1992) is due to its inability to check the physical decline in soil physical properties. This has led to increased studies on organic waste as alternative fertilizers (Agbim,1981 and Mbagwu and Piccolo,1990). Application of organic wastes to the soil has been reported to influence soil properties and crop yield. Mbah et al. (2011a) observed that land application of burnt, unburnt and mixtures of burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes improved soil physical properties and enhanced maize yield. Orhue et al. (2005) observed increased Cu, K, C/N ratio, soil ph and enhanced maize growth following amendment of soil with brewery effluent. In a study on the accumulation of pollutants in rice mill waste amended soil Mbah et al. (2011b) observed higher values of Zn, Cu, Pb, S0 4 2-, N0 3 and lower values of EPP, *Corresponding Author cnmbah10@yahoo.com ESP and SAR relative to the control. Nwite et al. (2011) reported improvement in soil physical conditions of AS, Bd, Tp, Hc and AWC when they analysed the physical conditions of a contaminated typic haplustult amended with organic wastes. Onweremadu (2010) reported that accumulation of automobile wastes deteriorates farmland while Mbah and Ezeaku (2010) showed decrease in values of Ca, Mg, Na, K, and CEC in automobile waste contaminated soil relative to the control. Mbah (2006) reported improvement in soil physicochemical properties and enhanced maize grain yield when the author used animal wastes ((PD, SW, CD, SS) as soil amendment. However, research on the effect mill wastes on soil properties and crop yield have received less attention or is still at infant stage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes on soil chemical properties and maize yield in an ultisol in south eastern- Nigeria. METHODOLOGY The experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research farm of faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Ebonyi State University, Aba-

2 Mbah et al. 073 Table 1. Initial chemical properties of the soil and amendments Parameter soil Burnt Unburnt Unit OC % Mg Cmolkg -1 Ca Cmolkg -1 Na Cmolkg -1 K Cmolkg -1 P H H Cmolkg -1 ECEC Cmolkg -1 kaliki (lat; 6 o 19 1 N and long: 8 o 06 1 E) in 2008, 2009 and 2010 cropping soil. The soil of this area belongs to the order ultisol and classified as Typic Haplustult (FDALR, 1985). The area has a bimodal pattern of rainfall (between April July and September November) with a short spell in August. The area has a mean annual rainfall and relative humidity of between mm and 60 80% respectively, and minimum and maximum temperature of 27 o C and 31 o C, respectively (Ofomata, 1975). Land preparation was done by the conventional tillage method. The soil and rice mill wastes (burnt and unburnt) were sampled for routine analysis and observed data is presented in Table 1. The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design with seven treatments and 3 replications. The treatments details are: 1. O control or no application of treatment 2. BW 10 12kg/plot burnt rice mill waste equivalent to 10 t ha BW kg/plot burnt rice mill waste equivalent to 20 t ha UW 20 12kg/plot unburnt rice mill waste equivalent to 10 t ha UW 20 20kg/plot unburnt rice mill waste equivalent to 20 t ha BUW 10 6kg/plot + 6kgUW/plot equivalent to 10 t ha BUW 20 12kgBW +12 kg UW. kg/plot equivalent to 20 t ha -1 Each plot in the experiment measured 3 m x 4 m with 0.5m plot alley and 1m between each replicate. The experimental site was cleared of the natural vegetation (imperata cylindnca, panicum maximum and oderatum spp) at the imitation of the experiment in The debris was removed and the plots cultivated using hoe. The treatments were uniformly spread and burned in their respective plots immediately after cultivation. Two maize seeds per hole were planted at a spacing of 25 cm within row and 75 cm between rows at a depth of 3cm. The maize plants were thinned down to one plant stand two weeks after germination. The experimental site was weeded at three weeks interval. The same procedure was repeated in 2009, and 2010 cropping seasons but without application of amendments in 2010 cropping season to test the residual effect of the wastes. Data collection and analysis At the end of the study (90 days after planting DAP) ten maize plants were sampled and tagged.the heights of the tagged maize plants were measured using meter rule. Similarly soil samples were collected at depth of 20-cm for post planting analysis Data collected from the study was subjected to statistical analysis using the general linear model of SAS software for randomized complete black design (SAS, institute Inc, 1999), while treatment means were separated using the Duncan s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). RESULTS Initial analysis of the soil and wastes show higher concentrations of nutrients in the waste compared to the soil (Table 1). Recorded OC (%) of the soil and wastes were 0.65, 3.04 and 22.90% for soil, burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes, respectively. Similarly, Ca 2+ was 94.0, and 51% higher in burnt rice mill waste compared to soil and unburnt rice mill waste; respectively. In general the order of nutrient concentration was burnt > unburnt rice mill waste > soil. Organic carbon (OC%) ranged between , and % in the first, second and third year, respectively (Table 2). The table also showed that the least value of OC was observed in the control in the three years. Similarly total nitrogen (TN%) increased significantly (p = 0.05) in the amended plots relative to the control. In the first season observed TN value in the control was 17, 33, 67, 133, 33 and 67% lower than values in BW 10, BW 20, UW 10, UW 20, BUW 10 and BUW 20, respectively. The order of increase in TN in the third year was UW 20 > BUW 20 = UW 10 > BUW 10 > BW 20 > BW 10 > C. Table 2 also show significant (P = 0.5) increase in soil available P in waste amended soil relative to the control in the three

3 074 Int. Res. J. Agric. Sci. Soil Sci. Table 2. Effect of burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes application on soil ph, available p,total N and OC( %) Treatment ph Av.P TN OC ph Av.P TN OC ph Av.P TN OC (MgKg -1 ) % % (MgKg -1 ) % % (MgKg -1 ) % % C 5.62 de g 0.51 g 0.06 cd 4.82 d 3.08 d 0.41 g 0.05 ef 4.50 bcd 8.46 e 0.32 e 0.04 c BW ab b 0.61 f 0.07 cd 5.35 b a 0.69 f 0.06 e 4.90 a a 0.43 d 0.05 c BW a a 0.70 e 0.08 bc 5.42 a a 0.78 e 0.07 e 4.90 a a 0.45 d 0.05 c UW de f 0.87 c 0.10 b 01 c c 1.30 c 0.11 c 4.60 bcd d 0.85 b 0.09 ab UW cd e 1.37 a 0.14 a 5.03 c a 1.98 a 0.16 a 4.70 ab c 1.10 a 0.10 a BUW cd d 0.78 d 0.08bc 5.05 c c 1.01 d 0.09 d 4.80 ab b 0.73 c 0.08 b BUW bc c 0.96 b 0.10 b 5.30 b a 1.51 b 0.13 b 4.90 a a 0.84 b 0.09 ab Means on the same column with the same letter do not differ significantly (P = 0.05) Note: C = control, BW 10 = burnt rice mill wastes at 10 t ha -1, BW 20 = burnt rice mill wastes at 20 t ha -1, UW 10 = unburnt rice mill wastes at 10 t ha -1, UW 20 = unburnt rice mill wastes at 20 t ha -1, BUW 10 = burnt + unburnt (6 kg of burnt + 6 kg of unburnt rice mill wastes/plot) rice mill wastes at10 t ha -1, BUW 20 = burnt + unburnt (12 kg of burnt + 12 kg of unburnt rice mill wastes/plot) rice mill wastes at 20 t ha -1. Table 3. Effect of burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes application on soil exchangeable bases (Cmol(+)kg -1 ) Treatment Na + K + Mg 2+ Ca 2+ Na + K + Mg 2+ Ca 2+ Na + K + Mg 2+ Ca 2+ C 0.16 b 0.08 d 1.20 d 1.60 e 0.11 e 0.05 c 0.80 d 1.20 e 0.06 d 0.03 c 0.20 c 0.40 c BW b 0.10 bcd 2.00 bc 2.80 cd 0.16 b 0.07 bc 1.20 c 2.40 bc 0.12 ab 0.05 ab 0.40 bc 0.80 b BW ab 0.14 a 2.80 a 4.40 a 0.18 a 0.10 a 1.60 b 3.60 a 0.14 a 0.06 a 0.80 a 1.40 a UW b 0.10 bcd 1.60 cd 2.40 d 0.12 de 0.06 bc 1.20 c 1.60 de 0.10 bc 0.05 ab 0.40 bc 1.00 ab UW ab 0.12 ab 2.40 ab 3.20 cb 0.14 c 0.07 bc 1.60 b 2.00 cd 0.10 bc 0.06 a 0.60 ab 1.20 a BUW b 0.11 bc 2.00 bc 2.80 cd 0.13 cd 0.07 bc 1.60 b 2.40 bc 0.08 cd 0.05 ab 0.40 bc 0.80 b BUW a 0.12 ab 2.40 ab 3.60 b 0.17 ab 0.08 ab 2.00 a 2.80 b 0.12 ab 0.06 a 0.60 ab 1.00 ab Means on the same column with the same letter do not differ significantly (P = 0.05) Note: C = control, BW 10 = burnt rice mill wastes at 10 t ha -1, BW 20 = burnt rice mill wastes at 20 t ha -1, UW 10 = unburnt rice mill wastes at 10 t ha -1, UW 20 = unburnt rice mill wastes at 20 t ha -1, BUW 10 = burnt + unburnt (6 kg of burnt + 6 kg of unburnt rice mill wastes/plot) rice mill wastes at10 t ha -1, BUW 20 = burnt + unburnt (12 kg of burnt + 12 kg of unburnt rice mill wastes/plot) rice mill wastes at 20 t ha -1. years. The order of increase in soil available P was BW 20 > BW 10 > BUW 20 > UW 20 >BUW 10 >UW 10 > C, BW 20 > BUW 20 > BW 10 > BUW 20 > UW 20 > UW 10 > BUW 10 > C and BW 20 > BUW 20 > BW 10 > BUW 20 > UW 20 > UW 10 > C, in the first second and third years, respectively. Results in table 2 also show significant increase in soil p H in waste amended plots relative to the control. In the second year soil p H in the control was 72, 76, 35, 64, 33 and 74% lower than observed p h values in amended plots, respectively. Results of the study in Table 3 show significant increase in soil exchangeable bases (Ca 2+, Mg 2+, K + and Na + ) in waste amended plots relative to the control in the 3 years. Observed increase in K + and Mg 2+ values in the first year was in the order BW 20 > BUW 20 > UW 20 > BUW 20 > UW 20. Soil Ca 2+ content in amended plots relative to the control in the 3 rd year was 50, 71, 60, 50, 60, and 67%, respectively, for BW 10, BW 20, BUW 20, BUW 10, UW 10 and UW 20. Highest plant height values of (BUW 20 ), (BW 20 ) and 121 cm (UW 20 ), were observed in the first, second and third year (figure 1). The observed plant height values in the amended plots were significantly (p = 0.05) higher than that of the control. In the second year plant height values in amended plots were 50% (BW 10 ) 89%, (BW 20 ), 31% (UW 10 ), 67% (UW 20 ) 50% (BUW 10 ) and 53% (BUW 20 ) higher than observed values in the control. DISCUSSION The increase in soil p H in rice mill waste amended plots relative to the control could be attributed to the effect of rice mill wastes on soil chemical properties. The higher p H value in amended plots might partially be due to Ca supplied to the soil by the wastes in line with the observa-

4 Mbah et al. 075 Maize growth (cm) DAP 2009 DAP 2010 DAP Rice mill wastes (t ha -1 ) Figure 1. Effect of burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes application on corn growth (cm) at 90 DAP tions of Cooper and Warman, (1999). Similarly, the high soil p H in burnt rice mill wastes could be as a result of the effect of ash. Mbah et al. (2010) reported increased soil p H in ash amended plots relative to the control. The changes in soil ph brought about by rice mill wastes might have influenced the level of availability of phosphorus since phosphorus availability and solubility in soil is p h dependent. Ozubor and Anoliefo (1999) observed that soils with low p h value result to reaction of P with Al and Fe to form complex compound such as Al 3 PO 4 and Iron phosphate which are fixed in the soil and not readily available. Furthermore the observed improvement in soil OC and TN in the amended plots relative to the control could be due to the fact that these wastes contained higher level of OC and TN (Table 1). The positive contribution of these amendments to soil OC and TN relative to the control is in line with the observations of Eggball (2002) and Mbah (2006). The observed increase in soil exchangeable bases (Ca, Mg, K, Na ) in amended plots could be attributed to the higher levels of soil OC in the wastes. This is in line with the observation of Agboola (1985) that soil OC accounts for over 80% of cation exchange capacity of soil. Similarly, Nwinyi (1977) observed that organic wastes serves as a nutrient store for basic cations, which are slowly released and which constitute the soil exchange complex. The higher plant height observed in amended plots compared to the control could be attributed to higher nutrient content of the wastes. According to Kumar and Mittal (2007) increase in plant height and yield in waste amended plots was as a result of nutrients release for use by plants by the wastes. CONCLUSION Results from this study showed that burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes at studied rates improved soil chemical properties and plant height. In an earlier study Mbah et al. (2011a) reported that burnt, unburnt and mixtures of burnt and unburnt rice mill wastes improved soil physical properties thus enhancing maize grain yield. The use of the burnt and unburnt rice mill waste as soil amendment for improvement in soil properties and increased crop production is recommended in the study area. REFERENCES Agbim NN (1985). Potentials of Cassava Reels as soil amendments 1. Corn growth J. Environ. Qual. 10: s Agbim NN (1985). Potentials of cassava peels as soil amendment I. corn growth.j. Environ. Qua. 10: Agboola AA (1985). Organic Manuring and Management in the Humid Tropics on soil aggregation and stabilization of the degradation in the humid tropics. Proceedings of ISS/SSN Ibadan. Pp Cooper JM, Warman PR (1999). Effect of three fertility amendments on soil dehydrogenase activity, organic carbon and p H. Can. J. soil Sci. 77: Eggball B (2002). Soil properties as influenced by phosphones and Nitrogen based manure and compost applications. Agron. J. 94: FDALR (1985). Reconnaissance soil survey of Anambra State Nigeria. Soil Report FDALR, Kaduna. Kumar CP, Mittal S (2007). Soil moistere retention characteristics and hydraulic conductivity for different areas in India in selected states. National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee Uttarkland. Mbah CN (2006). Influence of Organic Wastes on plant growth parameters and nutrient uptake by maize (Zea mays l). Nig. J. Soil Sci. 16: Mbah CN, Nwite JN, Njoku C, Nweke AI (2010). Response of maize (zea may l) to different rates of woodash application in acid ultisol in southeast Nigeria. African. J. Agric. Res. 5(7) Nwinyi SCO (1977). The contribution of organic matter to cation exchange capacity of Eastern Nigeria. African soil. XVIII pp Ofomata GE (1978). Nigeria in Maps. Eastern States. In G. E. K. Ofoma ed Ethiope pub. House. Benin City.pp Orhue ER, Osaigbovo AU, Vwioko DE (2005). Growth of maize (zea mays l) and changes in some chemical properties of an ultisol amended with brewery effluent. Afri. J. biotech. 4(9)

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