Greener
Journal of  Agricultural Sciences

Vol. 3 (5), pp.
371-383, May 2013.

 ISSN: 2276-7770 

Research
Paper

Manuscript Number: 031313523

 

Effects of Cow Dung on the Growth and
Development of Maize Crop

 

J. Tanimu¹*, E.O. Uyovbisere²,
S.W.J. Lyocks³ and Y. Tanimu⁴

 

¹
Department of Soil Science and Land Resources
Management, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State.
Formerly with Samaru College of Agriculture, Division of
Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

²
Soil Science Department, Institute for Agricultural
Research/Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria.

³
Samaru College of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural
Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

⁴Department
of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

 

^*Corresponding
Author’s Email: joseph.tanimu @ yahoo. com

Abstract:

A 
Greenhouse and Field experiments were conducted at the
Institute for Agricultural Research and Samaru College of
Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The objectives
of the experiments were to evaluate the combine effects of
cow dung subjected to different management practices and
Urea fertilizer on some Maize growth parameters and to
observe the residual effects of the cow dung in the second
year. The experiment was a factorial experiment, 3
management practices, 4 duration of storage, and 2 nitrogen
levels, laid out in a Randomized complete block design and
replicated three times. The Greenhouse study revealed that,
combining cow dung subjected to different management
practices (pit covered May and surface heaped uncovered
June) and Urea at 45 kg N ha^-1 gave significantly
(P < 0.05) higher dry matter yield and surface heaped
covered April treatment gave taller plants, which were
statistically at par with NPK treatment (120 kg N ha^-1).
The results of the field studies for the two years were
consistent on the dry matter yield and plant height. The
field studies showed that, the direct effect, N amended
surface heaped covered April gave the highest Maize Stover
yield for the two seasons, while on the residual effect, N
amended, the surface heaped uncovered March treatments gave
the highest stove yields. On plant height, the direct effect
N amended surface heaped uncovered May treatments gave
significantly taller plants than all other treatments in the
two seasons. While on the residual effect, the surface
heaped covered April treatment was the one that gave taller
plants in the two seasons.
 
 Keywords: Organic Carbon, Total Nitrogen, Cow dung,
management practices, urea fertilizer, growth parameters and
maize.

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