Articles >
EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED TILLAGE AND ORGANIC–MINERAL NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON SOIL RESTORATION, PEST
SUPPRESSION, AND SWEET POTATO PRODUCTIVITY IN DEGRADED NIGERIAN SAVANNAALFISOLS
Author(s): Ilozobhie, N.E., Anyaegbu P.O., Aihebhoria, D.O., Agha U.A., Baba-Nitsa, M.,Onuegbu, S.L., Salawu, A.A., Aliyu, S., Usman, B.E, Eboseremhen, B.E. and
Awojemila, F.A.
Volume/Issue: Volume 6 , Issue 1(2026)
ABSTRACT:
Degraded, acidic soils, poor nutrient management, and Cylas weevil infestations limit sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas L.) productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. A three-year field study (2023–2025) at theUniversity of Abuja, Nigeria, evaluated the interactive effects of variety, tillage, and fertilizer on soil fertility,growth, pest incidence, and root yield. A 2 × 3 × 4 factorial Randomised Complete Block Design with threereplications tested two varieties (white-fleshed ‘TIS 87/0087’ and orange-fleshed ‘UMUSP3’), three tillagesystems (Flat, Mound, Ridge), and four fertilizer regimes (Control, NPK 15:15:15, Poultry manure, Hyptissuaveolens green manure). Baseline soil was acidic (pH 4.5) with low organic carbon (0.31%) and nitrogen(0.011%). Integrated management improved fertility: pH rose to 6.2–6.3, organic carbon by 364.5%, totalnitrogen by 727.3%, available phosphorus by 60%, potassium by 198%, and ECEC by 30.6%. Earlysprouting (95–97.6%) and survival (90–93.1%) were high. Mound × NPK maximized white-fleshed yield(41.53 t ha⁻¹), Ridge × Poultry manure optimized orange-fleshed yield (36.15 t/ha), and organic amendmentsreduced Cylas damage by 77%. Yield correlated positively with pH (r = 0.41), ECEC (r = 0.35), and organiccarbon (r = 0.19), demonstrating that integrating raised tillage with organic or mineral inputs restoresdegraded soils and enhances climate-smart, nutrition-sensitive sweet potato production
KEYWORDS:
Sweet potato; Tillage; NPK; Poultry manure; Cylas weevil; Soil health; sustainable intensification.
