Effect of Poultry Manure on Cucumber (Cucumissativum L) Productivity and Soil Health in an Alfisol at Jericho Ibadan Nigeria

The application of poultry manure had been extensively studied, with research revealing its beneficial effects on soil properties and crop yields. The objective of the research was to examine the impact of poultry manure on the productivity of cucumber (Cucumissativum L.) and the health of the soil in an alfisol located in Jericho, Ibadan, Nigeria, using appropriate standard techniques. Data obtained show that the physicochemical properties of soil pH is (5.46); TOC (8.1 g/kg); TOM (13.97 g/kg), TN (1.3 g/kg), available P (12 mg/kg), Ca (1.26 cmol/kg), Mg (3.88 cmol/kg, Na (0.19 cmol/kg), K (0.34 cmol/kg), Mn (78 mg/kg), Fe (206.00 mg/kg), Cu (7.5 mg/kg), Zn (1.8 mg/kg), sandy loam texture as 740 g/kg of sand, 100 g/kg of clay, and 160 g/kg of silt, with bulk density at 1.25 g/cm³, saturated hydraulic conductivity at 16.54 cm/hr, and total porosity at 53% for soil and for poultry manure are TOC (5.99%), TOM (10.32%), TN (5.2), available P (0.1264%), Na (0.146%), Ca (1.088%), Mg (1%), K (0.82%), Mn (0.043%), Cu (0.009%), Fe (0.05%), and Zn (0.046%). Furthermore, addition of poultry manure to soil enhanced the microbial biomass and the activities of essential soil enzymes, including protease, phosphatase, urease, and dehydrogenase, which serve as indicators of soil biological health. For instance, protease activity rose from 73.1 in the control group to 110.3 in the treatment with 20 tons per hectare of poultry manure. The highest cucumber yield recorded was 139.39 kg from the treatment that received 40 tons per hectare of poultry manure, while the control plot yielded the lowest at 74.07 kg. These findings suggested that incorporating poultry manure into cucumber cultivation systems could significantly enhance both soil health and cucumber yield. Based on the results, the study recommended the application of 40 tons per hectare of poultry manure for optimal cucumber production in the area.