Management Practices for Improving Fertility Status of Soils in Nigeria

There is need for proper understanding of plant nutrients status in the soil and their requirements by various crops under different farming system. Farmers must be encouraged to make compost from residues, house refuse and other decomposable wastes available with them. If crop residues have been incorporated into the soil, care must be taken that it must be incorporated well in advance (about 6 weeks) before planting crops to avoid N-immobilization. There are always advantages of cultivating cereals in rotation with legumes or intercropping with legumes rather than growing monoculture. A leguminous crop which covers the ground is always useful in protecting the soil micro-organisms and improves the water use efficiency. Also, they fix atmospheric N through symbiosis and improve the soil fertility. Agro forestry also is useful if it is properly managed, frequent pruning is needed in order to avoid competition of alleys with crop plants for nutrients and soil moisture. The use of inorganic fertilizers boosts crop yield but its use has to be done very carefully. Chemical fertilizers can increase yield for short term but may deplete other nutrients from the soil. It is always advantageous if inorganic fertilizers are used along with some organic manure such as farm yard manure, composts etc. Soil fertility can be maintained with organic manures alone if it is available in sufficient quantity. Farmers hardly apply any chemical fertilizers to their crops grown around houses. The simple reason is that most of the house refuse is thrown out in the nearby field around the house. Also, cattle, sheep, goat, chicken and other animals are always roaming around houses during the dry season and as such their droppings enrich the soil.