Track 2-11: Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Cycling
Description
Profitable ruminant livestock production in Nigeria is often constrained by an inadequate. Although natural grazing lands provide most forage for most animals, these pastures like those throughout most of the tropical world, are grossly deficient in energy, crude protein and minerals, particularly during the dry season, and so cannot meet the requirements for meat and milk production (Akinolai et al. 2010). Sown pastures have proved to a valuable technology to improve livestock nutrition. However, a major limitation to the use of sown tropical species is infertile soil. This is certainly the case in the north western region of Nigeria where soils are very low in the phosphorus (P) content available to plants (Ezekiel and Gabriel 2006). Sakaba (2011) also reported very low available phosphorus content (< 5 ppm) in the soil of the study area in Sokoto. Possible reasons for the low P status include: low pH value, excessive degradation caused by overgrazing and the effects of desertification. This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of Verano under different P fertilizer levels in the semi-arid ecosystem of northwestern Nigeria.
Included in
Effects of Phosphorus Fertilizer Application on Verano Stylo (Stylosanthes Hamata) for Fodder Production in Semi-Arid Nigeria
Profitable ruminant livestock production in Nigeria is often constrained by an inadequate. Although natural grazing lands provide most forage for most animals, these pastures like those throughout most of the tropical world, are grossly deficient in energy, crude protein and minerals, particularly during the dry season, and so cannot meet the requirements for meat and milk production (Akinolai et al. 2010). Sown pastures have proved to a valuable technology to improve livestock nutrition. However, a major limitation to the use of sown tropical species is infertile soil. This is certainly the case in the north western region of Nigeria where soils are very low in the phosphorus (P) content available to plants (Ezekiel and Gabriel 2006). Sakaba (2011) also reported very low available phosphorus content (< 5 ppm) in the soil of the study area in Sokoto. Possible reasons for the low P status include: low pH value, excessive degradation caused by overgrazing and the effects of desertification. This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of Verano under different P fertilizer levels in the semi-arid ecosystem of northwestern Nigeria.
