Determination of Nutrient Contents in the Leaf Litter of Diospyros crassiflora S. (Hiern-FWTA) Plantation in Okwuta-Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria
Determination of nutrient contents in Diospyros
crassiflora leaf litter was carried out
in the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Okwuta-Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria in 2016 and 2017. Three 1m × 1m trays
were randomly positioned for collection of leaf litter production from 4/5years
old Diospyros crassiflora species in
each block (10m × 25m)
within the plantation totaling 1.5ha. A
Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates was used to study
the mean monthly leaf litterfall of Diospyros
crassiflora. Leaf litter was collected from each of the three litter trays
per block and placed in paper bags every 28th day of each month from
January-December in 2016 and in 2017. Fifteen grammes (15g) of
properly mixed and oven-dried samples of D.
crassiflora leaf litter were milled and sieved in 1mm
sieve; 0.3g was used to determine nutrient elements and their concentrations. The
data obtained from mineral nutrient contents of D. crassiflora leaf litter was analysed using analysis of variance.
Result reveals the mean concentrations of
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