ABSTRACT
This research focus is on Baseline studies on the effect of compost on soil sodium in agricultural soils. kitchen waste such as (orange peels, banana peels, plantain peels watermelon peels and cabbage peels) which were obtained from Uselu Market, Benin City. The compost was amended with raw materials such as Palm oil sludge, cow bone and corn cobs to enhance soil fertility which were obtained within and outside University of Benin, Ugbowo, Benin city. It was sorted and composted using anaerobic composting method. Initial and final characterization were carried out. At the initial stage, parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), moisture content, ash content, volatile matter, organic matter, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium were carried out. Finally, pot experiment was carried out to determine the effect of amended compost on soil sodium on cow pea seeds. Result showed a decrease in sodium levels in soil samples after planting. In the pot containing 75% soil and 25% compost, the sodium decreased from 0.8 Mg/Kg at day zero to 0.1 Mg/Kg at day fifteen. For the pot containing 50% soil and 50% compost, the sodium decreased from 1.3 Mg/Kg at day zero to 0.1 Mg/Kg at day fifteen. The pot containing 100% soil had no sodium detected at day zero and day fifteen. This study shows a relationship between plant development and nutrient absorption emphasizing the importance of compost in fostering plant growth.
