Biofertilizer Its Effect on Degraded Ultisol, Soybean Nodulation and Yield

Soil fertility maintenance is a pre-condition for sustainable crop production especially in southeastern soils of Nigeria. Fertility restoration and reclamation efficiency of three treatments were evaluated on degraded ultisol using soybean as test crop in a greenhouse study conducted in completely randomized design experiment with four replications. The bio-fertilizer evaluated in this present study was; Bracharia grass + animal manure (BA), Bracharia grass + Eupatorium odorata + animal manure (BUA) and control soil (CO). The result findings indicated that fertility restoration and reclamation efficiency of the bio-fertilizer evaluated on the degraded ultisol was very highly positive that resulted in significant (P < 0.05) difference in soil parameters tested and increased growth and yield parameters of soybean. The degraded soil was enriched with high content of OC, CEC, available P, Ca, Mg and favorable pH level of which varied with the treatments. The structural stability of aggregates was greatly improved in amended soils relative to the degraded soil. The bio-fertilizer BA recorded; 162.68%, 150.80% and 152.22% of mean weight diameter, aggregate stability and moisture content respectively over the control soil. The yield parameters of soybean were highly influenced, dry matter yield showed 144.72% increase in the amended soils relative to the control soil. The results of this study is of evidence that bio-fertilizer, BA and BUA can efficiently reclaim and restore fertility of a degraded soil, encourage sustainable crop production and promote soil and water conservation Keywords: Bio-fertilizer, compost, conservation, organic waste, soybean