Journal of Applied Biosciences (2008), Vol. 7: 202 – 206.

ISSN 1997 – 5902: www.biosciences.elewa.org

Effect of nitrogen released from rumen digesta and cow

dung on soil and leaf nutrient content of Gboma
(Solanum macrocarpon L.)

AWODUN M. A.
Department of Crop, Soil and Pest Management, Federal University of Technology, PMB 704, Akure, Nigeria

Corresponding author email: m_awodun@yahoo.com

Abstract
Objective: To study the effect of rumen digesta and cow dung as sources of nutrients for Gboma
(Solanum macrocarpon L).
Methodology and results: Experiments were conducted in the screenhouse in which five levels of
rumen digesta and cow dung (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 ton ha-1) were applied to Gboma seedlings. The
amount of nitrogen released into the soil from cow dung was 13.4% higher than that released from
rumen digesta while phosphorous released by rumen digesta was 21% more than that of cowdung.
Cowdung increased leaf N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents, with a rate dependent effect. Compared to
rumen digesta, cow dung at all levels resulted into higher values of plant height (3.9%), total
biomass (8.9%), root weight (20.9%), shoot weight (10.1%), leaf weight (5.8%), leaf width (3.7%)
and plant area (1.9%).
Conclusion and application of findings: Cow dung releases more nitrogen into the soil than rumen
digesta, but both manures can be used to grow vegetables. Application of 6 ton ha-1 of cow dung
would give optimum yield but higher rates iwould be required for rumen digesta.

Key words: Cow dung, rumen digesta, Solanum macrocarpon, soil, leaf nutrient content.

Citation: Awodun MA, 2008. Effect of nitrogen released from rumen digesta and cow dung on soil and leaf nutrient
content of Gboma (Solanum macrocarpon L.). Journal of Applied Biosciences 7: 202 – 206.

INTRODUCTION
Managing cowdung and animal wastes (rumen problems and associated offensive odors
digesta) from abattoirs is a common problem further complicate their use (Stevenson &
in developing countries such as Nigeria. Cole, 1999). These wastes could however be
Putting these wastes into effective agrarian used to alleviate soil nutrient depletion
use is also often a problem because they are problems, which is one of the most important
bulky, low-grade fertilizers of variable constraints to crop productivity in sub-Saharan
composition and frequently have high water Africa (Schoberg et al., 2000). It is already
content thus not easy to transport far from documented that the current use of fertilizers
point of source. On-farm management in Africa is well below the recommended rates,

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partly due to prohibitive cost, limited availability Rumen digesta are wastes from
and lack of knowledge on appropriate and abattoirs that are presently a menace in most
efficient application. urban cities of developing countries. The use
Worldwide, interest in the use of of these wastes as plant nutrient sources has
organic materials as sources of nutrients in not received much research attention in
vegetable production has increased (Chikwuyu Nigeria. Other uses of rumen digesta from
et al., 2002). Organic materials are valuable cattle, sheep and goat could be in replacing
nutrient resources for all types of crops, fruit maize and/or whole wheat in monogastirc diets
and vegetables (Chikwuyu et al., 2002). Good (Rojugbokan et al., 2006).
sources of organic fertilizers include animal This study was carried out to compare
wastes, wood-ash, rice husks, mills and nutrient release rates from rumen digesta and
brewery wastes, sawdust and other crop cattle dung after incorporation into the soil and
wastes (Awodun, 2007). their effects on leaf nutrient content of gboma
(Solanum macrocarpon L).

Materials and Methods

Experiments were conducted between January to kjeldahl method and available P by molybdenum
June, 2007 using potted plants in the screen house blue colorimetry after bray-1-extraction.
at the Federal University of Technology, Akure Exchangeable cations were extracted with
(705’N; 5047’E) in the rainforest zone of Southwest ammonium acetate. K was determined on flame
Nigeria.. The screen house was made of nylon net photometer and Ca and Mg by EDTA titration. Soil
on the sides and roof and had mean daily pH was determined in 1:1 soil-water suspension
temperature of 28°C. (Tel & Hagarty, 1984).
Top soil collected from the field was put Cowdung and rumen digesta analysis: Samples
into black nursery polythene bags with holes at the of air-dried cowdung and rumen digesta were
base. Seeds of the improved S. macrocarpon oven-dried at 70°C for 24 hours and milled for
variety Gboma were bought from the State analysis. Nitrogen was determined using micro-
Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), and Kjeldahl method. Samples were dried and ashed
first raised in the pre-nursery beds then using nitri-perchloric sulphuric acid mixture for
transplanted into the nursery pots after two weeks. determination of P, K, Ca and Mg. Phosphorus
Air-dried, ground cowdung and rumen digesta was determined using vanado molybdate
were applied separately by ring method to each colorimetry, K by flame photometer and Ca and Mg
plant two weeks after transplanting at 0, 2, 4, 6 and by EDTA titration (Tel & Hargarty, 1984).
8 ton ha-1. The treatments were replicated three Leaf analysis: At 8 weeks after application of
times and arranged in randomized complete block treatments leaf samples were collected, oven dried
design. Eight plants were selected from each at 70°C for 24 hours and milled. Nitrogen was
treatment for determination of leaf nutrient content. determined using micro-kjeldahl methods.
Soil analysis: Soils were analyzed before the Samples were dried, ashed using nitric-perchloric-
commencement of the experiments and also eight sulphuric acid mixture for determination of P, K, Ca
weeks after treatment application. Samples were and Mg as described above.
air-dried and sieved using a 2 mm gauge sieve,
after which the sandy clay loam sorts were Statistical analysis: Data were subjected to
analyzed as described by Carter (1993). Soil analysis of variance and means separated using
organic matter (SOM) was determined by wet the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at 5%
dichromate oxidation method, total N by micro- level of probability.

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The experimental soils were sandy clay, containing transformations, fixations and changes into other
57.1 % sand 38.28 % clay and 4.62% silt. forms in the soil that are not readily available to the
Comparatively, the soil had about the same P plant is a major challenge (Resende et al., 2006).
content initially, but less Ca and Mg, than the cow This might explain why a higher content of
dung and the rumen digesta (Table 1). phosphorous in the rumen digesta is not reflected
Compared with the control, cowdung in its uptake by plants. Efficient addition of
applied at 8 ton ha -1 resulted in the highest phosphatic fertilizers to soils in the tropics remains
nitrogen content in Gboma leaves (Table 2). a challenge, particularly in long-term soil
Nitrogen content was higher in leaves of plants management (Resende et al., 2007).
treated with cowdung than those treated with After treating soil with cow dung or rumen digesta,
rumen digesta. Results further showed that more nutrients were released into the soil (Table
nutrient uptake, especially Mg, P, and K were 3). Cow dung had more residual nutrient after
significantly higher (P>0.05) when manure was planting than rumen digesta.This is consistent with
applied at 2 ton ha-1. When compared with other expectations since decomposition of rumen digesta
treatments Phosphorous uptake by crop is affected is slower than for cowdung (Moyinjesu &
by various factors (David, 2004). P Atoyosoye, 2002).

Table 1: Initial chemical analysis of soil, cowdung and rumen digesta.

Parameter Cow dung Rumen Digesta Topsoil

Nitrogen 1.69* 1.29 0.12
Phosphorus 23.02** 35.31 31.11
Calcium 1413.10 719.40 6.40
Magnesium 926.12 345.3 3.10
pH - - 7.74
* = %; ** = mg/kg

Table 2: Analysis of leaf nutrient content after treating plants with cow dung or rumen digesta.

Treatment Cowdung
P(mg/kg) N (%) Ca (mg/kg) Mg (mg/kg) Na (mg/kg) K (mg/kg)
T1 2901.89 3.09 3502.63 420.32 11383.54 37653.24
T2 8838.85 3.39 3474.90 1621.62 9073.36 38416.99
T3 6478.11 3.25 3083.39 840.93 700.77 3223.55
T4 6283.20 3.75 2245.61 842.11 7578.95 29754.39
T5 3575.19 3.85 3731.98 203.56 10347.75 38846.48

Rumen digesta
T1 3545.49 1.87 2584.81 1163.17 10985.46 38126.01
T2 7028.66 2.54 2816.90 938.97 12050.08 36131.93
T3 4373.36 2.60 12389.38 2123.89 12389.38 9536.08
T4 5515.02 2.65 3891.60 500.35 10701.88 73446.33
T5 2877.08 2.72 2850.00 1520.19 11084.72 743049.33

Treatments T1 – T5 represent manure applications at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 ton /ha.

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Table 3: Chemical analysis of soil after treatment with cow dung or rumen digesta.

Treatment Cow dung

pH P Mg/kg K cmol/kg Ca cmol/kg Mg cmol/kg Na cmol/kg
T1 6.80 1.0 6.15 2.92 0.46 0.14
T2 6.60 1.2 6.67 4.80 1.15 0.23
T3 6.90 1.3 5.64 5.60 1.96 0.20
T4 6.67 3.2 5.13 6.56 1.79 0.65
T5 6.73 3.2 7.17 5.28 1.80 0.40
Rumen digesta
T1 5.97 1.0 3.08 2.68 0.28 0.44
T2 7.24 1.4 3.59 3.12 0.35 0.32
T3 7.05 1.6 6.67 5.7 0.17 0.33
T4 6.90 2.4 4.62 7.6 0.35 0.26
T5 6.88 2.8 6.15 5.9 1.21 0.24
Treatments T1 – T5 represent manure applications at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 ton /ha.

Rumen digesta has higher C/N ratio than cowdung fertilizers contribute substantially to production cost
and thus more nutrients would be expected to be of crops and thus may not be possible to apply as
released into the soil from cowdung (Odedina et required (Malvancy et al., 2006). Looking inwards
al., 2007). The higher nutrient uptake in leaves of into locally available and affordable cheap source
plants treated with cowdung might be due to faster of nitrogen would therefore be appropriate to
release of nutrients from this type of manure. ensure sustainable production. On the overall
Rumen digesta decomposes more slowly and thus our findings show that cowdung is better, but not
would release less nutrients during the short period significantly superior to rumen digesta in improving
of gboma growth in the field (Moyinjesu & soil fertility. Thus either of the two organic wastes
Atoyosoye, 2002). The better growth of gboma could be used to improve soils. To validate the
vegetable after treatment with cow dung (Table 4) findings of this screenhouse based study, it is
might be due to longer retention of nutrients recommended that field based experiments be
against leaching. carried out. Since vegetable production in cities is
In the past 50years, increased use of N usually done on small pieces of land, and
fertilizers and better management were the major repeatedly over several years, the fertility of such
contributors to large increases in global food land could be improved through use of organic
productions (Smil, 2004). However, nitrogen wastes such as rumen digesta or dung wastes.

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Table 4: Effect of applying cow dung or rumen digesta on yield and plant growth parameters of Gboma.

Treatment Cow dung

Plant Total Root Shoot Leaf Stem Leaf Leaf Plant
Height Biomass Weight Weight Weight Weight Length Width Area
T1 54.00 79.83 16.17 83.67 64.33 26.33 24.33 15.67 170.42
T2 49.33 71.00 11.33 59.67 38.67 21.00 22.33 15.67 188.32
T3 43.33 56.83 6.67 50.16 29.50 21.00 21.33 10.67 208.56
T4 54.33 88.67 9.33 79.33 56.50 28.83 28.50 16.83 200.23
T5 58.00 83.83 9.00 74.83 46.67 28.50 26.50 16.33 240.32
LSD(0.05) 19.88 42.3 7.0 52.52 26.10 20.22 18.23 4.52
Rumen digesta
T1 42.00 59.00 4.67 54.67 36.33 18.33 21.17 12.67 170.46
T2 50.83 57.17 5.33 51.83 28.17 20.33 20.17 13.33 169.27
T3 39.67 59.83 7.17 52.67 32.33 17.00 22.33 14.67 207.56
T4 47.67 63.83 7.50 56.33 36.00 20.33 21.83 12.83 180.75
T5 59.33 78.00 9.67 68.33 39.67 28.67 23.83 16.17 242.28
LSD(0.05) 26.27 55.35 8.14 49.05 27.74 21.22 5.39 4.63 110.09
Treatments T1 – T5 represent manure applications at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 ton /ha.

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