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Long term effect of
Leucaena leucocephala on soil physico-chemical
properties and fresh fruit bunch (FFB) production of oil
palm
Imogie, A. E., Udosen,
C.V., Ugbah, M. M. and Utulu, S. N.
Agronomy Division,
Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), P.M.B.
1030, Benin City, Edo State,
Nigeria.
*Corresponding author.
Email-imogie@yahoo.com. Tel: 08060346423
Accepted 26 November, 2008
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The study
investigated a long-term effect of Leucaena leucocephala
a leguminous tree crop on the soil physico-chemical
properties and its possible effect on the fresh fruit bunch
(FFB) production of oil palm. L. leucocephala had a
highly significant (P<.01) effect on soil physico-chemical
properties than the control. The soil under Leucaena
leucocephala exhibited relatively high mean weight
diameter, water retention, total soil available N, available
P and Exchangeable cation, than the control, and thus
enhanced fresh fruit bunch (FFB) production. Mean fresh
fruit bunch yield, over a three year period, was
significantly higher (P<0.05), with FFB yields of
10.93 tons / ha in plots with L. leucocephala as
against 6.8 tons / ha in the control plots.
Key
words:
Long term (to be deleted), Leucaena leucocephala,
physico-chemical properties, fresh fruit bunch yields. |
