Intensive agricultural practices and the continuous use of conventional nitrogen fertilizers had led to significant soil degradation, threatening long-term food security in the Northern Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria. The research compared the effects of foliar, neem-coated, and micronutrient-coated urea fertilizers on key soil physicochemical properties, nutrient dynamics, and nitrifying bacterial population over two consecutive cropping seasons. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used to establish experimental plots at two distinct locations within the zone. Soil samples were collected before and after each cropping season to analyze parameters including soil pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and micronutrient concentrations (zinc, manganese, boron and copper). The study also evaluated changes in soil microbial biomass and activity as crucial indicators of soil health. Preliminary findings suggest that the application of coated urea fertilizers, particularly neem and micronutrient-coated variants, significantly improved soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content, while enhancing the availability of key micronutrients. These results indicated a more efficient nutrient use system that mitigates leaching and provides a slow, steady release of nutrients as well as low population of nitrifying bacteria. The study concludes that the use of coated urea fertilizers offers a more sustainable approach to maize cultivation by not only boosting yield but also by contributing to the long-term improvement of soil health in the region.
Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple crop in semi-arid Nigeria, but its productivity is constrained by poor soil fertility. While inorganic NPK fertilizers can boost yields, their long-term use may degrade soil health. Organic alternatives like Gliricidia sepium remain underutilized despite their potential to improve soil quality. A field experiment was conducted at the Dryland Teaching and Research Farm, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, during the 2025 cropping season. The treatments comprised: T₁ (NPK 15 g plant⁻¹), T₂ (Gliricidia-based organic fertilizer 100 g plant⁻¹), T₃ (50 g Gliricidia + 7.5 g NPK plant⁻¹), and T₄ (control). The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Data were collected on growth parameters, yield components, and post-harvest soil physicochemical properties. Analysis of variance was used to test treatment effects at p<0.05. Fertilizer application significantly (p<0.05) influenced millet growth at later stages. Plants treated with Gliricidia (T₂ and T₃) were significantly taller at 9 and 12 weeks after planting and produced more tillers than the NPK-only and control treatments. Although not statistically significant (p<0.05), the sole Gliricidia treatment (T₂) gave the highest grain yield (1.05 t ha⁻¹), representing a 48% increase over the control (0.71 t ha⁻¹). Post-harvest soil analysis showed that Gliricidia-amended plots had significantly higher pH (6.40) compared to the NPK-only plots (6.31). Available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium were significantly higher in the NPK treatment, while total nitrogen remained unaffected across treatments. Gliricidia-based organic fertilizer effectively enhances millet growth and shows strong potential for improving grain yield while buffering soil pH against acidification. It is recommended as a sustainable nutrient management option for smallholder farmers in the Sudan Savanna of Nigeria.
Climate change threatens global agriculture, disrupting practices and food security by altering growing seasons. These impacts therefore necessitate an understanding of the determinants influencing rural farmers' access to vital climate change adaptation information in Asa Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria. The study employed a multistage sampling method to select 180 respondents from 18 communities across 9 wards. Data were collected through questionnaire and interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Key findings revealed that 34.4% of the respondents were aged 41-50, the majority were male (66.10%), married (83.90%), and natives of their village/town (62.20%). Household sizes mostly ranged from 1-5 (34.40%) to 6-10 (51.70%) members. Educationally, 25.60% had no formal education, while 34.40% had secondary education. The primary occupation for 72.20% was farming, followed by civil service (9.40%) and trading (12.80%). Radio was the main channel for climate change adaptation information, supplemented by extension agents, indigenous knowledge, fellow farmers, and television. Access frequency to climate change adaptation information varied, with 49% accessing information 4-5 times/year. Notably, 96% were unaware of government programmes on climate change adaptation, and 71.17% never attended related workshops. Most farmers (93%) faced no challenges in accessing and comprehending the information. Adaptation strategies included multi-crop agriculture, drought-tolerant crops, mulching, Fadama farming, and mixed cropping. Satisfaction with communication channels was moderate for 64.37% of respondents, while 97% had a proper understanding of climate change information. Only 7% reported challenges in accessing or understanding the information. The study concludes that socio-economic factors such as education, primary occupation, and gender significantly impact farmers' ability to access and engage with climate change adaptation information, with radio being the primary dissemination channel.
The study analyzed the poverty spectrum of staple crop farmers in Northeast, Nigeria. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics and examined the poverty spectrum of the respondents in the study area. Multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 391 for the study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and Foster, Greer and Thorberke (FGT) poverty indices. The result showed staple crop farmers between the ages of 15-28 years have high proportion of poverty (58.3%), whereas old respondents (43-56 years) experience low poverty rates (29.5%). Poverty is highly concentrated among staple crop farmers with less than one hectare (85,7%), whereas those cultivating 3-4 hectares and above faces lower poverty spectrum. Males have significantly low poverty rates (17.9%) compared to females (100%); Marital status shows that single individuals (33.6% poor) fare better than married ones (52.1% poor). Individuals with tertiary education experienced the lowest poverty rate (31.3%), whereas those with only primary or non-formal education faced higher poverty levels (62.5% and 42.1%, respectively). The study further revealed that the poverty line for the extreme poor was ₦1,139,420 per year, while the moderate poverty line stood at ₦2,278,841 per year. Additionally, the results showed that 29% and 53% of the respondents were living in extreme and moderate poverty, respectively. This indicates a high incidence of poverty among staple crop farmers in northeastern Nigeria. The study therefore concludes that poverty is severe in the study area. It recommends that governments at all levels, non-governmental organizations, and financial institutions should design and implement targeted financial interventions aimed at improving the livelihoods of these farmers.
A field experiment was conducted at Federal College of Forestry demonstration farm, Jos, Plateau State to evaluate the effect of water deficit on the agronomic performance of maize. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with factorial arrangement of three maize cultivars (SAMMAZ 72T, 73T and 74T) and three irrigation intervals (irrigation at all growth stages, except at tasselling and except at silking) and replicated three times. Data were taken at random from five plants at two weeks interval and the mean value recorded on plant height, leaf area, leaf area index, crop dry matter, net assimilation rate, relative growth rate, water use efficiency, number of cobs/plot, cob length, cob weight/plant 100 grain weight and grain yield. Results indicated that no cultivar difference (p>0.05) were observed on the plant height, leaf area, leaf area index, crop dry matter, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate and water use efficiency, number of cobs/plot, cob length, cob weight/plant 100 grain weight and grain yield at Jos. No significant (p>0.05) response to deficit irrigation was observed on number of cobs/plot, cob length, weight of cob/plant and grain yield but significant (p<0.05) on 100 grain weight. It can be concluded that all three cultivars gave similar responses. Similarly, the applications of irrigation water (deficit irrigation) throughout the research period except at silking produce the tallest plant (111.01 cm) and 100 grain weight (21.11 g) of maize. It is therefore recommended that all cultivars can be planted and water withdrawn at silking stage for optimum production of maize under irrigation deficit.
