Effect of Cover Crops on Soil Properties and Oil Yield of Oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis L) Grown on Utisol of Southern Nigeria

Authors

  • Okechukwu Chidiebube Umunnakwe Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
  • Emmanuel Abiodun JB Farms Oil Palm Plantation Ore, Ondo State, Nigeria
  • Emmanuel Bassey Effa Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
  • Bini Onen Ebri Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
  • Ozoemena Bernedette Bisong Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
  • Inyang Ekpenyong Ekpenyoung Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26765/DRJAFS65733477

Keywords:

Mucuna, Pueraria, palm oil, oil palm, soil properties

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted from 2017 to 2022 at Oban in Akampa Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria to evaluate the influence of leguminous cover cropping on soil properties and oil yield of oil palm. The experiment comprised three cover cropping treatments (Mucuna brateata, Pueraria phaseoloides and no cover crop) laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with twelve replications. Each replication measured 111.60 m x 33.72 m (3,763.52 m2) comprising 3 uniform experimental units of 33.72 m × 37.20 m (1, 254.38 m2). The gross plot measured 404.64 m × 446.4 m (180,631.296 m2, equivalent to 18.06 hectares). Results indicated significant (p < 0.05) effect of treatment on soil properties and palm oil yield. The plots with cover crops showed significant improvement of the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil which resulted in statistically higher oil yield. Mucuna brateata significantly enhanced soil properties and optimized palm oil yield more than Pueraria phaseoloides and the control, and  is recommended for commercial oil palm production in Cross River State and areas with similar climates.

Author Biographies

Okechukwu Chidiebube Umunnakwe, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Emmanuel Abiodun, JB Farms Oil Palm Plantation Ore, Ondo State, Nigeria

JB Farms Oil Palm Plantation Ore, Ondo State, Nigeria

Emmanuel Bassey Effa, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Bini Onen Ebri, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Ozoemena Bernedette Bisong, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Inyang Ekpenyong Ekpenyoung, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

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Published

2024-11-28

How to Cite

Umunnakwe, O. C., Emmanuel Abiodun, Effa, E. B., Ebri, B. O., Bisong, O. B., & Ekpenyoung, I. E. (2024). Effect of Cover Crops on Soil Properties and Oil Yield of Oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis L) Grown on Utisol of Southern Nigeria. Direct Research Journal of Agriculture and Food Science, 12(3), 103–109. https://doi.org/10.26765/DRJAFS65733477