A multivariate analysis on the response of crops to fertilizer and soil types. (a case study of the federal university of agriculture umudike, abia st

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><b>INTRODUCTION</b></p><p>Crop<br>production is an integral part of agriculture, the other half is animal<br>production or husbandry. Crop production can either be on a subsistence or<br>commercial level. It is subsistence when the farmer produces for himself and<br>family with a little for sale but it can be commercial when the farmer produces<br>in a large scale for market consumption. Whichever type of production a farmer<br>wants to embark upon, the knowledge of fertilizer and the nature of the soil is<br>of utmost importance as this would go a long way in determining the farmers<br>output. Since the 90’s agriculture in Nigeria that use to be at the front<br>burner as the nation’s chief income earner as suddenly taken a back stage as a<br>result of over dependency on crude. Agriculture overtime as been a major<br>sustainer of Nigeria’s economy before the discovery of crude oil otherwise<br>known as black gold (okoro 2005). Since its relegation to the background in<br>Nigeria, it has been practiced at an alarming peasant level with most of the<br>active stakeholder been largely subsistence agriculturists. Soil and fertilizer<br>type are very significant factors in crop production. It is highly<br>heterogeneous and this is the cause of differential rates of growth and yield<br>on a parcel of land planted to the same crop at the same time and with the same<br>management package (Olalokun, 1998). This is a source of frustration to crop<br>farming as farmers cannot think of a particular management package suitable for<br>their farmlands. Intensive cultivation and fertilizer application have become<br>the cardinal aspect of soil management especially in the West African sub<br>region. The Response to fertilizer<br>application in some cases is nothing to write home about; hence many farmers<br>have been forced to abandon their farmlands.</p><p><b>Types of fertilizers</b></p><p>Fertilizers<br>can broadly be grouped into two parts namely:</p><p><b>i. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>Organic<br>fertilizers</b></p><p>As<br>the name implies, these are fertilizers derived from human excreta, animal and<br>plant matter such as compost and manure. Organic fertilizers generally have<br>lower nutrient concentration than inorganic fertilizers.</p><p><b>Advantages of organic<br>fertilizers</b></p><p>The<br>following are the advantages of organic fertilizers</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>They do not harm or burn plants when<br>excessively applied on crops.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>They do not damage ground water.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>When applied on farmlands, they have long<br>term positive effects on farmlands.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>Organic fertilizers are renewable, biodegradable, sustainable, and<br>environmentally friendly.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>Although rather expensive in packages, you can make your own<br>organic fertilizer by composting or find inexpensive sources—such as local<br>dairy farms—that may sell composted manure.</p><p><b>Disadvantages of organic fertilizers</b></p><ul><li>Organic fertilizers break down according to nature’s<br>rules, so they may not release nutrients as soon as you need them. You<br>have to be patient – you won’t see improvement overnight. In fact, you may<br>actually see a deficiency in your plants during the first couple of months<br>until the first application breaks down. Hang in there! You’ll most<br>definitely be rewarded.</li><li>Nutrient ratios are often unknown, and the overall<br>percentage is lower than chemical fertilizers. However, some organic<br>products are actually higher in certain nutrients.</li></ul><p><b>ii. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>Inorganic<br>fertilizer</b></p><p>Inorganic<br>fertilizers are synthetic fertilizers that are produced from chemical or<br>synthetic materials with defined proportion of desired chemicals that are<br>beneficial to crops.</p><p><b>&nbsp;Advantages of inorganic fertilizers</b></p><ul><li>Since nutrients are available to the plants<br>immediately, improvement occurs in days.</li><li>They are highly analyzed to produce the exact ratio of<br>nutrients desired.</li><li>Standardized labeling makes ratios and chemical sources<br>easy to understand.</li><li>They’re inexpensive.</li></ul><p><b>Disadvantages of inorganic<br>fertilizers</b></p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>If excessively applied, they can burn or<br>harm plants.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>When applied, it can cause water or air<br>pollution.</p><ul><li>Chemical<br>fertilizers tend to leach, or filter away from the plants, requiring<br>additional applications.</li><li>Long-term<br>use of chemical fertilizer can change the soil pH, upset beneficial<br>microbial ecosystems, increase pests, and even contribute to the release<br>of greenhouse gases.</li></ul><p><b>1.1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL<br>PROBLEM</b></p><p>In Nigeria today, crop production has been<br>largely inconsistent resulting to the lack of knowledge of the combination of<br>soil type and fertilizer. This has led to general under production of crops in<br>Nigeria. An adequate knowledge on the right combination would help to increase<br>crop production and maintain that for a long time. There is equally a concern<br>by farmers and researchers on the best type of fertilizer between organic and<br>inorganic fertilizers to be used to increase crop yield. Researchers are also<br>interested in knowing if inorganic or organic fertilizers performances are soil<br>based. Another problem of farmers is to know the relationship between soil type<br>and crop yield.</p><p><b>1.2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF<br>THE STUDY</b></p><p>This<br>study is aimed at the following:</p><p>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; To<br>know if there is a relationship and the nature of this relationship (if any)<br>between soil type, fertilizer type and crop yield.</p><p>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; To<br>know if there is a relationship between soil type and crop yield.</p><p>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; To<br>know if there is a relationship between fertilizer type and crop yield.</p><p>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; To<br>know the best combination of fertilizer and soil type that yields more crops.</p><p><b>1.3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>SIGNIFICANCE<br>OF THE STUDY</b></p><p>The<br>significance or importance of this study is mainly to know if there is any<br>relationship between fertilizer type, nature of soil and crop yield. Another<br>importance of this survey is to know the soil type that encourages more crop<br>yield. A major significance of this<br>study is to know if there is a relationship between the following:</p><p>Soil<br>type and crop yield, soil fertilizer type and crop yield. The nature of these<br>relationships (if any) is also of utmost importance to us.</p><p><b>1.4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>SCOPE<br>AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY</b></p><p>For<br>the purpose of this study as the topic depicts, the scope of the study will be<br>focused on how crops respond to the types of fertilization in each of the<br>different types of soils. Another scope is to know if a relationship exists<br>between fertilizer type, soil type and crop yield. A major scope is to know the<br>best combination of fertilizer type and soil nature or type that enhances crop<br>yield. In the earlier stage of the study there is a detailed coverage of the<br>techniques and methods used in judging whether crops responded well or not to<br>fertilization by looking at their performances.</p><p><b>LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY</b></p><p>It<br>is necessary to mention some of the limitation of this research work. The chief<br>limitation is the difficulty in obtaining relevant information in that a few of<br>our values were missing but these missing values were not statistically<br>significant enough to be noticed.</p><p>Notwithstanding,<br>in the highlighted limitation above, it is &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; hoped that this research will be<br>useful to agricultural researchers, farmers and other similar organization that<br>may want to know the general response of crops to the types of fertilization on<br>different soils.</p><p><b>1.5. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>DEFINITION<br>OF TERMS</b></p><p>i. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br><b>Organic:<br></b>produced<br>by or from living things.</p><p>ii. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br><b>Inorganic:</b><br>not consisting of or coming from any living substances.</p><p>iii. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br><b>Fertilizer:</b>&nbsp; a substance added to soil to make plants grow<br>more successfully.</p><p>iv. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br><b>Crops:</b><br>a plant that is grown in large quantities, especially as food.</p><p>v. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br><b>Synthetic:</b><br>artificial; made by combining chemical substances rather than being produced<br>naturally by plants or animals.</p><p>vi. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br><b>Soil:</b><br>the top layer of the earth, in which plants, trees etc grow.</p> <br><p></p>