Effects of Rice Mill Wastes on Soil Properties in a Rice - Producing State of South - Eastern Nigeria

A research was conducted in 2015 and 2016 in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, South-eastern Nigeria, to determine the effects of heavy dumping of rice mill wastes on soil properties. Samples were collected from soils in Abakaliki rice mill industry. Auger and core samples were collected from Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, FARM (control) and at Abakaliki rice milling industry in hilly terrain at three sites namely: crest (S1), mid-slope (S 2) and lower slope (S3). The result showed that respective soil bulk density for S1, S2 and S3 were 1.14 gcm-3 , 1.44 gcm-3 and 1.31 gcm-3 in 2015 and 1.58 gcm-3 , 1.61 gcm-3 and 1.50 gcm-3 in 2016 against control (1.64 gcm-3 and 1.66 gcm-3 ) for the two years. Soil organic carbon was higher in Crest (30.30 gkg-1 ) compared to control (5.10 gkg -1 ), mid-slope (17.0 gkg -1 ) and lower slope (22.20 gkg-1 ) in 2015. In 2016, soil organic carbon was higher in S1 (30.50 gkg-1 ) compared to control (5.10 gkg-1 ), S2 (18.30 gkg-1) and S3 (25.20 gkg-1 ). The results indicate that the soil properties studied were higher in rice mill dumpsite except for BD than control. Different sampling point in most cases did not vary among themselves. It is recommended that rice mill wastes should be used in farms as soil amendment and generation of farm energy.