Comparative effectiveness of animal manures on soil chemical properties, yield and root growth of amaranthus (antaranthus cruentus l.)

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dc.contributor.authorNonga, Dotto Leonard Mhoja
dc.date.accessioned2026-02-17T07:56:43Z
dc.date.available2026-02-17T07:56:43Z
dc.date.issued1999
dc.descriptionDissertation
dc.description.abstractPot and field experiments were conducted at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania during the 1997/98 cropping season. The study was carried out to comparatively evaluate the effectiveness of dairy cow, goat and poultry manures on soil available levels of N and P, amaranthus (Amaranthus cruentus L.) yield and root growth. In both experiments, the three amendments were applied at 100, 150 and 170 kg N/ha. The experiments were laid out in a split plot design, replicated three times with rates of application as mainplots and animal manure types as subplots. Pot experiment was conducted for a period of about one-month whereas field experiment was carried out over three crop cycles each lasting for about one month. The soil used in this study was classified as an Oxisol (Tropeptic Entrustax). Results of the glasshouse experiment indicated that applications of the three animal manures significantly (P < 0.01) increased soil available levels of N and P, amaranthus shoot dry matter yield, tap root length, root weight and tissue concentrations of N and P. These responses increased with increasing rate of application with the highest rate of application (170 kg N/ha) resulting in highest responses. Comparison of the responses from the three manures revealed that for all the parameters evaluated the trend was; poultry manure > goat manure > dairy cow manure. This trend was mainly due to differences in total N, total P, C/N and CZP ratios of the three manures. Poultry manure had highest levels of total N and total P and narrowest C/N and C/P ratios concurring with the superior mineralization of N and P observed and consequently, the highest responses in amaranthus yield and root growth compared to the other two manures. Results of the field experiment were essentially similar (except for the root growth which was not evaluated in this experiment) to those of the pot experiment. Soil available levels of N and P evaluated after first and third crop harvests were highest for poultiy manure followed by goat and dairy cow manures and the responses were highest after the third crop harvest suggesting that mineralization of organic forms of N and P increased with time. The above responses were significantly (P < 0.01) and positively correlated to amaranthus yield and tissue concentrations of N and P indicating that the observed response in amaranthus yield was largely due to soil availability and uptake of N and P. Based on the fertilizer recommendation of N and P for Southern Highlands of Tanzania (N= 40 kg N/ha and 20 kg P/ha) and the application rate of 170 kg N/ha used in this study, applications of 5.8 tons/ha of poultry manure, 9.8 tons/ha of goat manure and 13.4 tons/ha of dairy cow manure will meet the recommendation of 40 kg N/ha. The above application rates will also provide 30.5kg P/ha, 31.6 kg P/ha and 26.8 kg P/ha for the respective manures, which will suffice the P recommendation. Results of this experiment therefore, suggest that the three types of animal manures evaluated could substantially sustain crop growth in this soil and others with similar properties. The results should however, be confirmed under different field conditions and for much longer experimental duration.
dc.description.sponsorshipNAEPII
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7325
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSokoine University of Agriculture
dc.subjectAnimal manures
dc.subjectSoil chemical properties
dc.subjectYield
dc.subjectRoot growth
dc.subjectAmaranthus
dc.subjectAntaranthus cruentus
dc.titleComparative effectiveness of animal manures on soil chemical properties, yield and root growth of amaranthus (antaranthus cruentus l.)
dc.typeThesis

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