Synergistic Effects of Cattle Dung, Urea, and Lime on Agronomic Productivity and Physicochemical Properties of Tropical Soils

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from the Faculty of Agriculture have conducted a study to assess the synergistic effects of cattle dung, urea, and lime on crop productivity and physicochemical properties of sandy tropical soils. The study found that combined use of cattle dung, urea, and lime can valorize slow-mineralising animal manures and improve soil fertility. The researchers applied different treatments to grow okra on sandy soils and collected agronomic and soil data during a nine-week crop growth phase. The results showed that treatment CD+Urea+Lime gave the highest okra dry matter, lowest soil bulk density, and highest available P and cations exchange.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that combined use of cattle dung, urea, and lime can valorize slow-mineralising animal manures and improve soil fertility.
  • The treatment CD+Urea+Lime gave the highest okra dry matter, lowest soil bulk density, and highest available P and cations exchange.
  • Okra dry matter reflected soil available P with a correlation coefficient of 0.63.
  • Fortifying CD-manure with lime and, afterwards, Urea could produce synergistic agronomic effects mostly via boosted P-bioavailability.
  • The study proposed fortifying CD-manure with lime and, afterwards, Urea for physicochemical fertility management of coarse-textured acid tropical soils.
  • The study involved researchers from the Faculty of Agriculture, Prince Abubakar Audu University, Nigeria, including Precious I. Ameh, Ntieneobong E. Etukudo, Paul O. Joseph, Benjamin A. Onuze, Solange T. Ndzeshala, Blessing I. Isaac, Sunday E. Obalum, Kayode P. Baiyeri, Charles A. Igwe.
  • The study was published in the Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, 2025, 119(1).

Statistics:

  • 56-81% increase in plant height and leaf area in the CD+Urea+Lime treatment relative to Urea+Lime/Control.
  • 124-125% increase in leaf area in the CD+Urea+Lime treatment relative to Urea+Lime/Control.
  • 56-81% and 124-125% increases, respectively, in CD+Urea+Lime relative to Urea+Lime/Control.
  • R2 = 0.63 for the correlation between okra dry matter and soil available P.

Sources:

  • Faculty of Agriculture Researchers Have Provided New Data on Agribusiness (Synergistic effects of cattle dung, urea and lime on agronomic productivity and physicochemical properties of coarse-textured tropical soils). Agriculture Week. July 24, 2025; p 754.
  • Synergistic effects of cattle dung, urea and lime on agronomic productivity and physicochemical properties of coarse-textured tropical soils. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, 2025, 119(1). (Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development - http://www.jaeid.it).
  • Universita degli Studi di Firenze (publisher for Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development).
  • https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.36253/jaeid-16190.