Oyster Shell Compost Effect on Some Physical and Chemical Properties of an Inland Valley Soil

An experiment was conducted in the Soil Science laboratory of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike to investiage the effect of oyster shell composted with goat and poultry droppings on some physical and chemical properties of an inland valley soil. The experiment was 4x3 factorial in a completely randomized design. Soil samples were collected from 0-30cm depth. The treatments applied were compost of combinations of goat (G) droppings, poultry (P) droppings and oyster shell (OY) (G+P+OY, P+OY, G+OY, G+P) and the amendment rates were 0%, 10% and 20% respectively. Each treatment was replicated three times. The results showed that application of the manure composts improved soil pH, ECEC, available phosphorus, total nitrogen organic carbon, exchangeable acidity and aggregate stability of the soil. The improvements in soil properties were relative to the rate of application of these amendments and sampling duration, G+P+OY treatments influenced total nitrogen, ECEC, available P most while P+OY was most effective on aggregate stability, exchangeable calcium and pH of the soil.