Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea Cameroon
Table 1
(a) Baseline preplanting soil properties of the experimental site before fertilizer application. (b) Effect of nitrogen fertilizer rates (control–0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha−1) on postplanting soil properties (Mean ± SD).
(a)
Baseline soil
Moisture content %
Organic carbon %
Carbon / Nitrogen
Available phosphorus mg kg−1
pH H2O
Sodium cmol kg −1
Potassium cmol kg−1
Magnesium cmol kg−1
Calcium cmol kg−1
Acidity cmol kg−1
ECEC cmol kg−1
Total nitrogen %
11.3
2.16
13
29
5.42
0.35
0.47
4.23
18.08
0.41
23.54
0.17
(b)
Nitrogen fertilizer rates kg ha−1
Moisture content %
Organic carbon %
Carbon / Nitrogen
Available phosphorus mg kg−1
pH H2O
Sodium cmol kg−1
Potassium cmol kg−1
Magnesium cmol kg−1
Calcium cmol kg−1
Acidity cmol kg−1
ECEC cmol kg−1
Residual nitrogen %
Control–0
11.5 ± 1.9a
2.8 ± 0.3a
15.5 ± 3.1a
19.7 ± 4.2a
5.4 ± 0.4a
0.18 ± 0.06b
1.5 ± 0.5a
3.4 ± 0.8a
15.4 ± 3.5a
0.09 ± 0.05a
20.5 ± 3.9a
0.01 ± 0.02e
50
11.2 ± 2.1a
2.9 ± 0.3a
12.0 ± 0.8ab
21.3 ± 4.0a
5.4 ± 0.3a
0.17 ± 0.06b
1.4 ± 0.3a
3.6 ± 1.0a
17.4 ± 3.9a
0.08 ± 0.03a
22.6 ± 5.1a
0.08 ± 0.01d
100
15.1 ± 0.4a
2.6 ± 0.2a
9.3 ± 1.0bc
20.8 ± 2.9a
5.3 ± 0.3ab
0.18 ± 0.07b
1.2 ± 0.4a
3.6 ± 0.9a
16.3 ± 3.4a
0.08 ± 0.02a
21.4 ± 4.2a
0.12 ± 0.01c
150
15.4 ± 1.0a
3.0 ± 0.7a
9.0 ± 2.4bc
26.0 ± 5.5a
5.0 ± 0.4ab
0.31 ± 0.03a
1.3 ± 0.5a
3.3 ± 0.8a
14.9 ± 2.9a
0.08 ± 0.02a
19.8 ± 3.9a
0.16 ± 0.01b
200
15.2 ± 1.2a
2.6 ± 0.1a
7.3 ± 0.5c
24.3 ± 1.5a
4.7 ± 0.1b
0.22 ± 0.05ab
1.3 ± 0.1a
4.1 ± 0.4a
18.7 ± 2.1a
0.12 ± 0.07a
24.5 ± 2.6a
0.19 ± 0.01a
Values within columns with different letters are significantly different (P < 0.05).
