Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, D: Agriculture and Veterinary, Volume 22 Issue 1

Grain yield (t/ha) = 85 x 3 x 1000 15% moisture content Where shelling % = 85 1 hectare = 10,000m 2 1 tonne = 1,000kg field weight (kg) x (100- grain moisture content) (%) x 10,000 Stalk lodging (%) It is the percentage of plant stalks that broke below the ear two weeks before harvest. d) Source of materials Moringa leaves and maize stalks came from the university farm at no cost Banana peels were collected from Ipata (a local market in Ilorin) through roasted plantain sellers N was sourced from moringa P sourced from banana peel K sourced from maize stalk Inorganic fertilizer was bought from the market e) Experimental Design and procedure The experimental design involved a screen house and field experimentation both at the Kwara state University Teaching and Research Farm. The Screen house experiment was laid out in complete randomized design (CRD) while the field experiment was randomized complete block design (RCBD) both in three (3) replicates. The experimental site was cleared and prepared manually and then divided into plots using a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement in three replications. The size of each plot was 3.0 X 3.0 (9 m 2 ) with an inter-plot space of 0.5m. The fertilizer treatments consisted of four different nutrients combinations including; - (A) = 70N+30P+ 20K, (B) = 100N+40P+30K, (C) = 120N+50P+40K and a control, (D) = 90kg NPK 15-15-15, a recommended rate for maize. The N, P and K experimental content came from the mixture of Moringa leaves, maize stalk and banana peel. The fertilizer was incorporated into the soil and also applied as foliar. The solid fertilizer obtained from the air-dried and grounded moringa leaves and other components were incorporated into the soil a week before planting while the foliar fertilizer were applied 2 and 6 weeks after planting to reduce being washed off by rain. To form the foliar fertilizer, each of the plant components was dissolved in a litre of water in a jar and covered for three days, thereafter, sieved into sprayer tank containing 1 litre of water and sprayed on the foliar part of the plants. All required agronomic standard practices were used before and after the crop emergence. Maize crop was harvested fresh manually after maturity. f) Analysis of Soil Soil samples were randomly taken from the experimental site before planting with the aid of auger, bulked, air dried and ground to pass through a 2mm sieve. Soil analyses were carried out using (Okalebo2002). Soil particle size distribution was determined by hydrometer method using Calgon solution as dispersing agent. Soil pH was determined by using 1:1 soil: water ratio suspension with pH meter. Soil organic carbon was determined by modified wet oxidation method by Wilkey and Black, (1934.) and converted to organic matter by multiplying with 1.724. Total nitrogen was determined by the micro-kjeldahi digestion and distillation method. Available phosphorus was determined by the bray 1 Acid Fluoride Solution. Exchangeable cations were extracted with 1.1 ml Ammonium acetate at pH7.Na and K were measured with flame photometer while Ca and Mg were measured with atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Cation exchangeable capacity was measured by Ammonium acetate technique g) Financial Analysis The farm budgetary technique (Olukosi, 2006) was used to determine the net farm income for each treatment to allow for selection of the best alternative. The model for estimating farm budgeting is outlined thus; NFI = GI – (TVC+TFC) Where, NFI is the net farm income GI = Gross Income (Expected Total Revenue) TVC= Total Variable Cost TFC= Total Fixed Cost Expected Total Revenue =yield in t/ha * price per tonne One tonne of maize is # 250,000 (market price) Total variable cost of production (TVC); Variable costs incurred were on labour, herbicide, transportation, harvesting, weed management, grinding and fertilizer& fertilizer application and maize seeds. 2 bags of NPK = #15,000 Maize Seeds = 5kg = #6000 /ha Grinding = #3,000 Total Transportation=#18,000 For each of the other operations, labour cost = #15,000/3m 2 *1,000 m 2 Note;-1 US$ = #500 Total fixed cost (TFC); Depreciation on land and equipment, expenses on land preparation (clearing, ploughing and ridging), Potential of Bio-Organic Mix as an Alternative to Inorganic Fertilizer in Maize Production in Africa © 2022 Global Journals 1 Year 2022 12 Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Volume XXII Issue ersion I VI ( D ) To obtain the worth of each of the fixed cost items the straight-line method of depreciation was used.