Tropical Plant Research

F. E. Adesuyi*, C. I. Arinzechi, F. O. Iyagin, B. E. Omomoh, A. S. Akinbowale and H. B. Dafiewhare

*Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Federal University of Technology Akure, P.M.B 704, Ondo State, Akure, Nigeria

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/tpr.2018.v5.i3.045

Abstract:
This study was conducted to assess soil nutrient changes following application of mulch materials from Acacia crassicarpa, Albizia zygia, and Albizia adianthifolia. Complete Randomized Design was used for experimental layout. The mulch materials constituted the treatments. The experimental plot (3 m × 4 m) was partitioned into 12 micro-plots of 1 m × 1 m in dimension. Adjacent micro-plots were separated from each other by a buffer 0.5 m wide. Each treatment including a control (without mulch) was replicated three times and treatments were randomly allocated to the micro-plots. Ambient and soil temperatures were measured daily for six weeks following treatment application. Soil samples were collected from soil depth of 0 to 15 cm after six weeks of mulch applications in both mulched and control plots and analyzed for pH, % of Organic matter, % of Nitrogen (N), available Phosphorus and exchangeable cations. The study revealed that the mean levels of the various nutrients were not significantly different. The analysis showed that the application of the various mulch materials tends to reduce the temperature in hot weather condition and also temperature had a very important role to play in the decomposition process. In low-temperature condition decomposition tends to be slow while in high-temperature decomposition becomes fast.