Abstract
Field experiment was conducted between 2016 and 2018 at Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Humid Forest Research Station, Umuahia, South-east Nigeria, to study litter production and climatic influence in Allanblackia floribun- da (oliv) agroforestry system. The experiment was laid out in a randomized com- plete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Litter trays were used for monthly collection of leaf litter. Results indicated that soil chemical properties namely pH (H2O), organic matter, total nitrogen and potassium increased with tree age from 4.8%, 1.3%, 0.07% and 0.07 Cmol/kg respectively in 2016 to 5.8 %, 3.2%, 0.30% and 0.1 Cmol/kg respectively in 2017. The dry season months of November, December, January and February gave significantly higher leaf litter- fall (23.76 – 43.50 kg/ha in 2016/17 and 34.75 – 151.22kg /ha in 2017/18) than the rainy season months of April to October (4.96 – 14.53 kg/ha in 2016/2017 and 8.81 – 17.96 kg/ha in 2017/2018) cropping seasons. Leaf litter production positively and significantly correlated with maximum temperature (r = 0.60*) and (r = 0.70*) and negatively correlated with rainfall (r = -0.74**) and (r = -0.60*) and relative humidity (r = -0.86**) and (r = -0.79**) for 2017 and 2018 respec- tively, with a bimodal pattern showing leaf litter peak production in January and December. The high production of leaf litter during the dry season served as a protective cover for the soil against the scorching heat of the dry season sun
Keywords:
namely ph (h o)
organic matter
total nitrogen and potassium increased with
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