Evaluation of Incorporated Biomass Pruning of Selected Hedgerow Trees on Soil Physical Properties, Growth and Maize Yield for Food Security in Cross River North, Nigeria

The experiment is focused on the evaluation of incorporated biomass pruning of selected hedgerow trees on soil physical properties, growth and maize yield to solved food security in Cross River North, South-South Nigeria. The research area lies in latitude and longitude 60 36 ‘52’N and 9010’150 E southeast of derive savannah. A Randomized Complete Block Design using Azadireahta indica, Acio bateri, Adansonia digitata, Leucaena leucocephala, Gliricidia sepium and Gmelina arborea as treatments at the rate of 5 t ha-1 and Control without treatment replicated three times using maize (Oba supper 2) as test crop for the experiment. Five undisturbed core samples were collected from each plot for physical properties at soil depth 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm. Results show that at 8 weeks after planting in 2PS at soil depth 0-10 cm, soil bulk density in plot amended with Gmelina arborea and Azadireahta indica (1.47 and 1.46) relative to the Control by 7.26% and 7.60%. The highest total porosity 50.94% was found in plots amended in Leucaena leucocephala which increase over Control by 17.38%. Soil application of Leucaena leucocephala (50.30%) increase over Control by 18.92% in moisture content. The highest hydraulic conductivity (Cm min-1) was found in Acio bateri and Gliricidia sepium (2.55) which increase over control by 43.75%. The result of maize yield is Leucaena leucocephal>Gliricidia sepium>Andasonia digitata=Gmelina aborea>Acio bateri>Azaderahta indica>control. There are significant differences on soil physical properties and plant parameter due to the treatment. The treatment improves soil physical condition for better