Browsing by Author "Peter, P.C."

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    RESPONSE OF COWPEA (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) TO CHANGES IN HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES OF A SPENT CRANK-CASE OIL CONTAMINATED ULTISOL UNDER BIO-STIMULATION
    (Department of Agronomy, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2014-12-20) Ahamefule, Henry Emeka; Obi, E. M.; Amana, Sani Mathew; Peter, P.C.; Eifediyi, E.K.; Nwokocha, C.C.
    A study was carried out (2007 - 2009) at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. Main plot treatments were 0% (control), 1%, 2%, and 3% spent crankcase oil (Sp) applied in a single dose at 0, 10,000, 20,000 and 30,000 mg kg-1 soil, respectively. The sub-plot treatments were control (no amendment = NA), palm oil mill effluent (PE), oil palm bunch refuse (PR) and cassava peels (CS) applied at 12 Mg/ha each, per year. The treatments were arranged in a split-plot format in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Samples were collected from 0 – 20 cm soil depth at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months and analyzed for macro-porosity, micro-porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks).Cowpea was planted in three seasons to evaluate the phyto-toxicity of spent crank-case oil and soil quality following amendment. Results indicated a trend of decreasing macro-porosity values with increasing spent oil contamination with values in 3 % oil contaminated plots ranging from 7.5 – 14.0 % whereas in 0 % treated soils values ranged from 22.0 – 25.5 %. Micro-porosity increased with increase in rate of oil contamination, increasing from 31.0 % in untreated plots to 44.0 % in plots treated with 3 % spent crank-case oil in 36 months. Amendment of contaminated soils significantly increased macro-porosity whereas micro-porosity was reduced. The Ks of plots changed from rapid (> 25 cm h-1) to moderately rapid 'permeability' (< 6 cm h-1) following oil contamination. Phyto-toxicity test indicated that increasing the contamination of spent oil beyond 1 % led to a significant decline in the percent emergence of cowpea seeds. Emergence was reduced from 99 % in control soil to 78 and 71 % in 2 and 3 % spent crank-case oil treated soils respectively following oil contamination.
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    SPENT ENGINE OIL CONTAMINATION OF AN ULTISOL IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA: COMPARATIVE EFFECTS ON TWO CROP SPECIES
    (Department of Agronomy, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2014-12-23) Ahamefule, Henry Emeka; Obi, E. M.; Amana, Sani Mathew; Peter, P.C.; Eifediyi, E.K.; Nwokocha, C.C.
    Toxicity from spent engine oil contamination is a prevalent problem in Nigeria. Therefore a field investigation was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria to determine the effect of spent engine oil contaminated soil on growth and yield parameters of maize and cowpea. Post contamination sampling indicated that spent engine oil significantly (P < 0.05) increased total hydrocarbon content and bulk density from 825 mg kg-1 to a maximum of 25411 mg/kg and 1.50 g cm-3 to 1.68 g cm-3 respectively whereas soil water loss between 2 - 10 days after saturation was highest (40 %) in the first three months in 3 % spent engine oil contaminated. Germination was 32 % lower in maize than cowpea while spent engine oil had 29-folds more detrimental effects on leaf expansion of maize compared to cowpea. It was also observed that the dry matter content and grain yield of maize was more than 3 times and 2.5 times respectively, reduced compared to that of cowpea. It was concluded that spent engine oil had detrimental effects on soil physical properties and the test crops, however maize showed higher susceptibility compared to cowpea.