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ABSTRACT
Soil nutrients depletion is one of the most serious problems currently affecting agricultural productivity in developing countries of the tropics, including Nigeria. Maintenance of soil fertility under continuous cropping has only been made possible through the use of fertilizer. For crop plants to complete their normal physiological function, the cell needs NPK. The experiment was conducted at the experimental farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City (Latitude 5°44′ and 7°34′ N and Longitude 5° 44′ and 6°43′ E), Edo State Nigeria. The plots for the experiment were laid out in randomized complete block design consisting of three plots measuring 5m by 7m and three samples were taken at random from each plot in each replicate to give a total number of 27 samples. The collected samples were air dried, crushed and sieved through a 2mm mesh and analysed in the laboratory for total nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium. The result from the experiment showed that since there has been continuous cropping on the commercial farm, the nutrient status of the soil was low. From the results of the analysis after harvest, the total nitrogen was low in all plots when compared to N critical level of 0.6 – 1.0g/kg. Available phosphorous was very low in some plots when compared with P critical level of <3, while some other plots were low with values ranging from 0.7 - 4.5g/kg when compared with P critical level of 3 – 7mg/kg. Exchangeable potassium was low in some plots when compared to the critical level of 0.21 – 0.3cmol/kg, while a plot was moderate when compared with K critical level of 0.31 – 0.6cmol/kg. Low levels of nutrient element observed after harvest may have been due to crop uptake. Continuous fertilizer application at every season is encouraged to be able to meet up with crop uptake and yield.
