Puddling Intensity for Late-season Sawah Systems Based on Soil Hydrophysical Conditions and Rice Performance

The soils of Atani floodplain in Anambra State of Nigeria contribute significantly to the food production of the State, hence the need to understand their behavior in order to enhance their management and productivity. Profile pits were sited along three physiographic units viz: levee crest, levee slope and flood basin. Soil samples were collected from the profile horizons and subjected to standard laboratory procedures. Characterization of the soils was based on their morphological, physical and chemical properties. Soil classification was carried out using the USDA Soil Taxonomy and correlated with FAO/IUSS World Reference Base. Its agricultural potential was assessed using the fertility capability classification. The soils were deep. Topsoil colour was dominantly blackish black (10YR 3/2). Mottles were pervasive; an indication of impeded drainage conditions. The soils were predominantly fine textured. Soil pH values ranged from 4.8 to 6.2. Exchangeable Calcium was low to moderate (2.6-8.2 cmol kg−1); Magnesium was moderate to high (1.6-6.8 cmol kg−1); Sodium was high to very high (1.0-2.5 cmol kg−1), while potassium was high (1.2-4.2 cmol kg−1). Cation exchange capacity values ranged from 11.6 to 42.6 cmol kg−1. Total nitrogen was very low to low (0.14-1.12 g kg−1), while organic carbon was low to moderate (0.4-15.2 g kg−1). Available phosphorus was very low to high ranging from 0.93 to 31.71 mg kg−1 while base saturation ranged from 64 to 93%. The soils were classified as Typic Fluvaquents (Typic Fluvisols), Fluvaquentic Endoaquepts (Endostagnic Cambisols) and Fluventic Endoaquepts (Endostagnic Cambisols) according to the USDA and FAO/IUSS. The fertility capability evaluation of the soils revealed that the pedons were Lgn in classification due to limitations in drainage. Key words: alluvium, cambic horizon, Inceptisols, lithologic discontinuity

Section: Physical Properties Of Ogbaru Floodplain Soilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Classification and assessment of agricultural potential of the lower Niger floodplain soils of Atani, Southeastern Nigeria

Okenmuo¹,

Anochie²,

Ukabiala³

et al. 2020

“…Recent development in economic diversification which emphasised agribusiness in Nigeria portends movement towards application of intensive farm labour. The need for massive production of rice and other domestically grown agricultural products means that large farm lands must be used (Obalum et al,2014), which also has an implication on farm power. There is massive involvement of both rural and urban Nigerians in agriculture in the last 3-4 years (IITA, 2018).…”

Section: Prospects Of Tractor Use In Nigeriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Tractor use and agricultural productivity in Nigeria: Prospects and challenges

Umar¹,

Yarima²,

Yusuf³

et al. 2021

The objectives of this study were to examine the role of tractor use in agricultural mechanisation, explore the prospects of tractor use in Nigeria and identify the challenges of tractor use in agriculture in Nigeria. The study adopted literature review; whereby secondary data have been used. The assumption of the study was that improvement in farming is directly connected with improvement in farmer’s income and livelihood. Also, that mechanised agriculture is necessary for productivity, and by implication increases profit in farm production. Tractor is one of the major farm tools that enhance mechanisation in agriculture. Therefore, incorporating the mechanisation, notably tractor is essential because it affects the farmer’s livelihoods and living conditions. The finding of the study indicated that tractor plays significant role as it is established that crop-production increased through tractor use, which increased the farmers’ income, giving room for increased production capacity thereby enabling the farmers to settle some of their outstanding debts. The study also found that tractor has prospect in Nigeria because recent development in economic diversification which emphasised agribusiness in the country portends movement towards application of intensive farm labour. However, there are some noticeable challenges associated with tractor use in Nigeria. One of these challenges is un-affordability because tractor use is very costly. Other challenges are under-utilisation, lackof knowledgeable personnel to manage the tool, lack of spare parts; and government-run tractor hire schemes are not effective because they are in a state of collapse. The study therefore concluded that tractor use is a necessary evil in Nigeria, because despite its displacement tendency and cost, the increasing population of Nigeria calls for investing in mechanised agriculture for increasing productivity, improving farmers’ income and livelihood, and above all achieving food security. Key words: agricultural mechanisation, productivity, Nigeria, tractor

“…It promotes the efficiency of soil and water management; conserves the fertility of lowland soils (nutrient-rich fine particles in the saturated puddled soils, alluvial flows and geo-and topo-accumulated water settle and build-up in the topsoil) and makes for proper harnessing of water and nutrients in the lowlands (Asubonteng et al, 2001;Wakatsuki and Masunaga, 2005). Considering that rice is a shallowrooting and water-loving grain crop, this improved environment for crop growth offered by lowland sawah often results in increased tillering potential and grain yield of rice (Obalum et al, 2014). For non-sawah fields (with uncontrolled flooding), these sediments elude the topsoil with the attendant hampering of rice growth and yield.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Focusing on sawah-grown rice, there have also been reports of poor agronomic performance due to ineffective water control and inadequate water retention in sawah basins (Obalum et al, 2014). Lowland soil fertility cannot be effectively restored without compatible water control and management techniques.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Manurial amendments and source of water for supplemental irrigation of sawah-rice system influenced soil quality and rice yield

Nnadi¹,

Ugwu²,

Nwite³

et al. 2021

Soil and water management research on adapting the promising sawah ecotechnology for lowland rice farming in West Africa has largely focused on the abundant inland valleys; floodplains which too represent a huge agricultural resource in the region have not been so involved. Sawah refers to a bunded, puddled and leveled basin for rice, with water inlets and outlets for irrigation and drainage, respectively. In conventional sawah, soil fertility is augmented using mineral fertilizers, with an option to harness lowland water resources for use in small-scale irrigation to create the so-called sawah typologies. In this study, we evaluated the effects of three manurial amendments (rice husk, rice-husk ash and poultry droppings, each at 10 t ha–1) and NPK 20:10:10 at 400 kg ha–1 interacting with source of water (spring or pond) used for supplemental irrigation of three sawah typologies in a floodplain in southeastern Nigeria. Plots amended with poultry droppings and supplemented with spring water recorded the overall best performance of the sawah-rice system; the control being the unamended non-supplemented (solely rainfed) plots recorded the worst. Rice-husk ash and rice husk enhanced soil pH and soil organic carbon, respectively. The three sawah typologies showed a consistent trend thus spring-supplemented ≥ pond-supplemented ≥ non-supplemented sawah. Rice grain yield was influenced by soil total nitrogen and the sum of the three plant-nutrient basic cations (K+ , Ca2+ and Mg2+), with the influence of K+ alone being the greatest. To enhance rice performance including grain yields in floodplain sawah, farmers should utilise poultry droppings as soil manure and spring water for supplemental irrigation.