Nitrogen-Use Efficiency of Maize Under Erosion Control Management Techniques

Abstract

A field trial was conducted in Ibadan to determine the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of maize crop under vetiver grass strip erosion control management. Nitrogen fertilizer (Urea) was applied at the rate of 100kg nitrogen per hectare. Vetiver was planted at 20m interval and compared with no vetiver plot. Runoff and sediment collecting devices were installed on the field with maize as the test crop. Grain yield, NUE, soil loss and runoff showed no significant difference between treatments when subjected to T - test at 5 %. however best performance in terms of the above parameters were obtained under vetiver grass plot. NUE was 9. 6% in vetiver and12. 4% in no vetiver plot. Vetiver reduced runoff as percentage of rainfall from 35% (No vetiver plot) to 2. 51 % and soil loss of 77. 9 % to 22. 9%.