IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science (IOSR-JAVS) e-ISSN: 2319-2380, p-ISSN: 2319-2372. Volume 14, Issue 2 Ser. I (February 2021), PP 01-08 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/2380-1402010108 www.iosrjournals.org 1 | Page An evaluation of three contrasting rates of animal wastes on degraded sandy soil and their immediate and residual effect on dry matter yield of maize Nweke, I. A. and Igwe A. C. Department of Soil Science, ChukwuemekaOdumegwuOjukwu University, Anambra state Abstract In this study, the comparative effectiveness of three animal wastes (poultry manure, pig manure and cow dung) in improving the productivity of a degraded sandy soil was simultaneously investigated in a greenhouse study. The study was a factorial experiment with four treatment of 0, 5, 10 and 20 tha -1 each of poultry manure (PM), pig manure (PG), cow dung (CD) and control soil. Each treatment was replicated three times. Following the characterization of the plant nutrients, PM relatively had higher concentration of nutrients in all the rates studied compared with PG and CD. All the rates of the wastes studied improved the physico-chemical properties of the degraded soil and adequately supported maize growth and yield relative to the control soil. The wastes improved soil physical properties significantly through increased aggregate stability, total available water (TAW) and water retention. The exchange properties of the soil improved, the organic carbon, total N, available P and pH increased, these accounted for the increased maize growth and yield observed in the study. Amendment with highest dry matter yield during the 1 st cropping had the worst residual effect. Keywords:Animal waste, available water, organic carbon, pH, residual effect, sandy soil, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 26-01-2021 Date of Acceptance: 11-02-2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction Animal wastes differ in their characteristics and properties. Hence, a suitable animal waste should have the capacity to increase crop yields and improve soil fertility without at least any harmful effect either to the soil or crop. Each animal waste has unique properties that could be thoroughly investigated. Some of them are known to be easily mineralised and release their available nutrients rapidly as a result of microbial attack. In some cases, this is desirable particularly on soils that are already degraded like sandy soil. Also, marginal erodible, slopping and generally less productive soils will benefit at least initially from application of animal waste having a higher degree of microbial stability. Such materials will release their available nutrients very slowly. Some materials such as composted animal manures, green manures and activated sewage sludge are subject to rapid microbial decomposition in soils and tend to release their plant available nutrients rapidly. However, some materials such as cereal straws, wood bark, uncomposted animal wastes, saw dust, rice husks, crop wastes like cassava and yam peels, sewage sludge etc will be resistant to microbial attack and release their nutrients at a relatively slower rate. The higher level of organic stability will provide a distinct advantage in the initial reclamation of already degraded and marginal soils because it imparts a beneficial and long-term residual improvement of soil physical properties. Unless the physical nature of these marginal soils is improved first, the plant use efficiency of nutrients with any organic amendments or chemical fertilizer as reported by Parr et al. (1986) will be unacceptably low. Soil application of organic wastes activates enzymatic activities in the soil because according to Garcia et al. (1993), the added organic fractions contain intra and extra-cellular enzymes that Saviozzi et al. (1997) and Bhattacharyya et al. (2001) noted to stimulate microbial activity in the soil. The driving force behind the organic matter decomposition, mineralisation and immobilization of chemical nutrients is the microbial biomass (Nweke, 2018). Its improvement in soils changes totally the productivity and fertility scenario of the soil. The improvement of soil structure and water retention capacity may be all that is needed to ensure a better soil environment for root development and nutrient uptake while on soils with good structure improved physical properties are secondary to the enhanced fertility status associated with animal waste application. The agronomic potentials of animal waste could also be assessed through the physical observation of crop response and performance on soils due to the amendment material. Crop yield response to additions of animal waste is highly variable and is dependent upon soil type, the crop, climatic condition, management systems and type and rates of animal waste used. Therefore, yield response according to Parr et al. (1986) is a determining factor in knowing whether a particular waste material is suitable as a soil amendment relative to another waste material used. Positive results have been reported by various authors using animal wastes as soil amendment. Nweke and Nsoanya (2015), noted that cow dung improved the productivity of soils more than