EFFECT OF DIGESTION OF COW DUNG ON THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND GRAIN YIELD OF GROWN MAIZE GRAIN (Zeamayz)

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effect of digestion of cow dung on the physic-chemical and grain yield of grown maize grain (Zeamayz). A 200kg of cow dung was divided into two equal aliquot firsts portion was digested with water in ratio 2:1 at 30^oC for 21 day, while the second portion was left undigested. The digested and undigested manures were applied to the soil and mixed thoroughly two days before maize grains were sown at a spacing of 10cm by 20cm and depth of 3cm, one grain per hole. The grains were allowed to grow for five months before harvesting. At the end of the experiment, 5 matured plants were randomly uprooted. The grains were extracted and the yield was measured before subjecting to laboratory analysis. Thereafter, the laboratory result was analyzed statistically using One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at (P≤0.05) significant level. The results of the proximate composition for digested and undigested samples were moisture 12.26 and 11.71%, ash 2.53 and 1.76%, crude fibre 2.68 and 1.86%, protein 9.26 and 7.84%, fat 5.27 and 4.52% and carbohydrate 68.01 and 72.32% respectively; the phytochemical constituents were alkaloid 1.83 and 1.45mg/100g, saponin 4.77 and 4.00mg/100g, flavonoid 5.72 and 4.17mg/100g and tannin 1.87 and 1.24mg/100g respectively. The research further revealed that the mineral and yield for both digested and undigested samples were potassium 1.22 and 0.56mg/100g, iron 68.63 and 55.66mg/100g then, yield 4000.23 and 3200.45kg/ha respectively. The experimental results of this study have showed that cow dung bio slurry produced higher nutritional values and yield on maize grain when compared with undigested cow dung. Therefore, digestion of cow dung is necessary in order to obtain improved crop yield and nutrients.