Effect of Municipal Solid Waste on the Growth of Maize (Zea Mays L.)

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted in the green house to determine the effect of municipal solid waste on the growth of maize (zea mays). Growth parameters of percentage emergence, plant height, leaf area and number of levers per plant were collect and subjected into statistical analysis, using ANOVA and fisher’s L.S.D. at 5% probability level. Plant growth parameters decreased with increase in cropping cycle. Similarly, maize grown on dumpsite soils did better than the control soil samples. It show increase in plant height, leaf area and number of leaves per plant at a range of 16.82cm to 12.87cm, 5 to 4 and 64.69cm to 59.88cm for the dumpsite and control samples respectively. Soil PH, organic matter (OM), total Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na) and Effective Cat-ion Exchange Capacity (ECEC) decreased with increase in cropping cycle respectively. The Dumpsite soil sample recorded higher mean values than the control (P<0.05). There is every indication that municipal solid waste is beneficial to plant if only proper and careful sorting and separation of hazardous waste is done.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n10p67