Soil Fertility Status under Different Tree Cropping System in a Southwestern Zone of Nigeria

Authors

  • Clement O. OGUNKUNLE University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Department of Plant Biology (NG)
  • Olusegun O. AWOTOYE Obafemi Awolowo University, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Ile-Ife (NG)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15835/nsb326050

Abstract

Tree cropping has been known to bring about changes in edaphic component among other components of the ecosystem through their interactions with the soil and soil faunas. Premised on this, this study assessed the effects of sole cropping of teak and intercropping of cocoa and kola on the soil fertility status. The study was carried out using stratified-randomed sampling technique for the study plots in all the sampling sites. Three sampling sites consisting of four (4)-4oo m2 sampling plots each were established in which vegetation and some soil parameters were assessed. Results analysis showed that the synergistic interaction of leaves decomposition of cocoa and kola improved the organic matter content of the soil under the cocoa/kola site. Considerable improvement in soil fertility was enjoyed in the cocoa/kola site due to the large girth sizes and basal area of trees present in the cocoa/kola site while soil under the sole cropping of teak was impoverished. The degradation effects was due to the high rate of nutrient uptake of the teak, organic matter content was high in the forest site (9.12%) and cocoa/kola site (7.34) while the least was in the teak site (3.04%). A very strong correlation existed between organic matter content and some vegetation parameters.

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Author Biographies

Clement O. OGUNKUNLE, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Department of Plant Biology

Graduate Student Department of Plant Biology University of Ilorin Ilorin, Nigeria

Olusegun O. AWOTOYE, Obafemi Awolowo University, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Ile-Ife

Senior Lecturer Institute of Ecology and Environmental studies Obafemi Awolowo university, Ile-Ife Nigeria

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Published

2011-05-16

How to Cite

OGUNKUNLE, C. O., & AWOTOYE, O. O. (2011). Soil Fertility Status under Different Tree Cropping System in a Southwestern Zone of Nigeria. Notulae Scientia Biologicae, 3(2), 123–128. https://doi.org/10.15835/nsb326050

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Section

Research articles
CITATION
DOI: 10.15835/nsb326050

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