The Effects of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) on Sodic Soil in Gezira-Sudan (Triticum aestivum L.) Production in Gezira-Sudan

Abstract

On farm experiment was conducted at Istrihna block in the Gezira Scheme for two seasons (2003-04 and 2005-06) in a heavy sodic clay Vertisol to study the effect of farmyard manure, (FYM) and planting methods to improve water infiltration aeration, and yield of wheat. The experimental design used was a split plot design with three replicates. The sowing methods treatments (Flat and Ridge) were assigned to the main plots and the levels of FYM (0, 5, 10, 20 tonsha-1) to the sub plots. The infiltration test was measured using double ring infiltrometer method. Data on number of head per m2, thousand seed weight, plant height, biomass and grain yield were collected at harvest. The addition of the farmyard manure (FYM) improved the physical properties of the soil; it increased the depth of wetting front, cumulative infiltration and infiltration rate. Results of the study indicated no significance differences for planting methods on yield and yield components although the ridge sowing gave higher grain yield as compared to the flat sowing. The use of different levels of the FYM significantly increased biomass, grain yield, thousand seed weight, number of head per m2 and a plant height. The interactions of the planting methods and the manures showed significance differences for the grain yield. The highest grain yield (4.3 t ha-1) was obtained from the combination of 20 t ha-1 FYM with ridge planting method and the lowest grain yield (3.8 t ha-1) from the combination of 20 t ha-1 FYM with flat planting method.