Effects of different organic amendments on seed germination and soil physical properties

A screen house study was carried out to assess the effects of three organic amendments (poultry droppings – pd, brewer's spent grain – bsg and wood shavings-ws) on the germination of four crops (Maize: Zea mays, Cowpea: Vigna sinensis, Okro: Abelmoschus esculentum and pepper: Capsicum annum), and on some properties; of an ultisol in Port – Harcourt, southeastern Nigeria. The four treatments, made up of the organic amendments were laid out in a completely randomized design replicated thrice, for each of the crops. Wood shavings were best suited for pepper and maize with 77.7 and 43.3 percents germination, respectively as against their controls of 59.9 and 33.3 percents. Brewer's spent grain gave a germination rate of 60% for cowpea while the poultry droppings treatment gave 100% germination for okra. Generally, the wood shavings enhanced germination for all the crops. Organic amendments reduced bulk density by 8.2,4.5 and 38.1% and increased porosity by 10.2, 6.1 and 40% for poultry droppings brewer's spent grain and wood shavings respectively. Wood shavings and poultry droppings significantly increased volumetric moisture contents from 0.37 to 0.50 and 0.43 respectively. There were inverse linear relationships between percentage germination and volumetric moisture contents for all treatments, with r-values of -0.06, -0.54, and -046 for PD, BSG and WS respectively. There were also the same relationship between percentage germination and bulk density for only PD and WS respectively. There were also the same relationship between percentage germination and bulk density for only PD and WS with r-values of -0.31 and -0.83 respectively. International Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development Vol. 7(2) 2006: 134-140