R. R. IPINMOROTI1, G. O. ADEOYE2 and E. A. MAKINDE2
1 Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8686, Japan
2 Agronomy Department, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria 3. Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria
IPINMOROTI, R. R., G. O. ADEOYE and E. A. MAKINDE, 2008. Effects of urea-enriched organic manures on soil fertility, tea seedling growth and pruned yield nutrient uptake in Ibadan, Nigeria. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 14: 592-597
Readily available farm wastes of plant and animal origins were enriched with urea at ratio 3:1 of nitrogen need of tea plant (150 kg N ha-1) and NPK (25:5:5) were used to fertilize tea (Camellia sinensis L.) seedlings at Ibadan, Nigeria. The enriched manures (cocoa husk, cow dung, poultry droppings, tea fluff and siam weed - Chromolaena odorata) resulted to higher soil fertility enhancement in N, P, K, Ca, Mg and organic carbon buildup than NPK and control (no fertilizer). Tea growth parameters and pruned dry matter yields were higher and similar for enriched manures and NPK but lower for control treatment plants. Nutrient contents of the enriched manure treated tea plants were higher compared to those for NPK and control treated plants. About 3.0 - 4.6, 0.08 - 0.21, 0.69 - 1.79, 0.36 - 0.76, 0.17 - 0.24 and 31.5 - 5.45 kg N, P, K, Ca, Mg and C ha-1 respectively could be recycled to the soil through pruned materials from tea seedlings treated with enriched manures compared to 1.17, 0.05, 0.25, 0.69, 0.18 and 40.84 kg ha-1 for similar elements for NPK treated plants. About 67.3 % of the possible recycled nutrients are contained in the leaves. The C/N ratio of the pruned materials ranged from 9.81 - 10.5. Poultry droppings and tea fluff were more efficient manures than others on the overall parameters and were hence recommended as alternative nutrient sources for tea plants.