Evaluation of Soil Sustainability to Maize Production in Yandev, Gboko, Benue State

Soil melioration capacity of rice husk manure and NPK fertilizer was evaluated on sandy loam soil of Yandev, Gboko, Benue State. Maize was used as a test crop. The experiments were carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Akperan Orshi Polytechnic, Yandev (AOPOLY) during the 2023 cropping season. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) of four (4) treatment replicated three (3) times. Plots measuring 16 m2 were treated on flat as follows: maize (control), NPK 15:15:15 (300 kg/ha) + maize, rice husk ash (12.5 t/ha) + maize and decomposed rice husk (12.5 t/ha) + maize. The decomposed rice husk and rice husk ash were manually incorporated into the soil to a depth of 10 cm one week before maize were planted. A total of 4 bulked soil composite auger samples were collected at the depths of 0 – 30 cm for physical and chemical analysis across the four treatments. The data collected on soil properties were analyzed using analysis of variance test based on randomized complete block design (RCBD). The sustainability of the soils was assessed in relation to the cumulative rating index (CRI) of the soil degradation rating (SDR) and soil vulnerability potentials (SVP). Slightly moderate to extreme poor soil quality indicators were observed in different soil amendments. The soils of the study site were considered ‘sustainable’. This means that under the present conditions, both soil degradation rate (SDR) and vulnerability potentials (Vp) could be sustained with current level of soil quality indicators.