Search

Aims: Soils in Ghana's coastal savanna are typically poor in phosphorus (P), which has an impact on crop growth and productivity. The majority of West African phosphate rock formations are not reactive; therefore, their direct applications do not facilitate easy P availability to crops. Co-composting organic waste with phosphate rock and using phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms is the new paradigm adopted by scientists in response to the lack of P availability (PSMs). The goals of this study were to (1) assess the effect of Aspergillus niger in P dissolution in phosphate rock during composting with citrus waste (CW) and rice straw (RS) and (2) to evaluate the effect of phosphor-compost on growth, dry matter yield and P uptake of maize. Methodology: Preparation of compost took place at University of Ghana Forest and Horticulture Research Center, Okumaning Camp close to Kade. Citrus waste and rice straw were used as feed stock. Each composting pile contained a mixture of urea, Togo phosphate rock, and feedstock in a 1:3:24 weight-to-weight ratio. Results: According to the findings, citrus waste feedstock was superior to rice straw in dissolving the P in rock phosphate. In a pot experiment, the phospho-composts were assessed using maize (Zea mays) as the test crop.

The use of inorganic fertilizer to produce most vegetables in Ghana like carrot is in ascendency in Asante Mampong and its environs and its continuous use has a rippling effect on soil health and productivity and the high cost of these fertilizers is a challenge to most poor resourced farmers in Ghana. A field experiment was conducted during the major raining season in 2010 at the University of Education Winneba, Faculty of Agriculture Education research field at Mampong in the forest-transitional zone of Ghana on the Bediase series. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of grasscutter manure in combination with NPK fertilizer on soil physical and chemical properties, growth and yield of carrot. The treatments were 300 kgNPK/ha, combination of half rate NPK fertilizer and different rates of grasscutter manure (GM) thus; (5tGM1/ha+150 kgNPK, 7.5tGM2/ha+150 kgNPK and 10tGM3/ha+150 kgNPK/ha) and control (without amendment) and the experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Results indicates that application of grasscutter manure in combination with NPK fertilizer significantly improved the soil physical conditions particularly, soil bulk density, total porosity, and gravimetric moisture content than the NPK alone and the control. Compared with the control, the treatment combinations significantly increased soil organic carbon, N, organic matter concentrations and exchangeable cations. Plant height, number of leaves, tap root length and root yield of treatment combinations were higher than NPK and the control. Also the treatment combinations significantly reduced nematode presence and number of roots deformed. For good soil health, grasscutter manure in combination with NPK would be better than either manure or NPK alone.