Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: Integrated Mucuna-Inorganic Fertilizer Management for Sustainable Maize Production on the Vertisols in the Accra Plains of Ghana
by K.K. Nyalemegbe, G. K. Agbozo and A.A. Addo-Quaye

Abstract:
Studies were conducted at the University of Ghana, Soil and Irrigation Research Centre between March and December, 2007, using the randomised complete block design, with 8 treatments, 4 replications and plot size, 4.0 m x 6.0 m. The treatments included: no fertilization - control (T1); mucuna only (T2); mucuna + 60 kg P2O4 ha-1 + 40 kg K2O ha-1 (T3); mucuna + 50 kg N ha-1 (T4) mucuna + 25 kg N ha-1 (T5); 100 kg N ha-1 (T6); 50 kg N ha-1 (T7) and 25 kg N ha-1 (T8). Apart from (T1) and (T8), all others were given a basal application of 60 kg P2O4 ha-1 + 40 kg K2O ha-1. At harvest, the maize crop in the mucuna plus 50 kg N ha-1 treatment had total dry weight and grain yield that were higher than values observed in the mucuna only and control treatments. Total dry weights were 3.02, 1.67 and 0.86 t ha-1, respectively; and grain yields were 1.30, 0.59 and 0.22 t ha-1, respectively. The treatments with mucuna incorporated into the soil had lower bulk densities than the others; bulk densities in the mucuna only and control treatments were 1.53 g cm-3 and 1.65 g cm-3, respectively. The organic carbon and total N of soil, after harvest of the maize crop, were greater in the mucuna only treatment than the control; organic carbon in the mucuna only treatment was 1.1 % and in the control, 0.7 %, while total N values were 0.23 % and 0.16 %, respectively. The mucuna plus 50 kg N ha-1 treatment gave the lowest cost:benefit ratio, as a result of its comparatively higher grain yield and income. Cost:benefit ratios were 0.56 and 1.31 in the mucuna plus 50 kg N ha-1 and control treatments, respectively

Keywords: empirical equations, shear strength, deep beams, shear span to depth ratio, concrete compressive strength

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