TY  - JOUR
T1  - Effects of Neem Extracts on Soil Properties, Microbial Populations and Leaf Area of Fluted Pumpkin (<I>Telfairia occidentalis</I>)
AU - , M.G. Solomon AU - , Paul B.Okon AU - , S.B.A. Umoetok 
JO  - Research Journal of Agronomy
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
SP  - 12
EP  - 17
PY  - 2008
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1815-9354
DO  - rjagr.2008.12.17
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=rjagr.2008.12.17
KW  - Neem extracts
KW  -Azadirachta indica
KW  -soil physicochemical properties
KW  -soil microbial population
KW  -Telfairia sp.
KW  -typic paleudults
AB  - Potted followed by field experiments were set up to investigate the effects of various neem (<I>Azadirachta indica</I>) extracts on an acid soil physicochemical properties and microbial populations. <I>Telfairia</I> occidentalis was planted to test the impacts of the treatments. The results indicated highly significant positive improvements in soil physicochemical properties. Exchangeable Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and other cations were added to the soil, which elicited an improvement of the soil pH and boosted soil fertility. Calcium significantly increased from initial 1.70 to 3.20 cmol kg <SUP>1</SUP>, causing improvement in Effective Cation Exchange Capacity (ECEC) and Base Saturation (BS) statuses of the soil, at more than 60 and 50% ,respectively. Leaf area of <I>Telfairia </I>was significantly improved as it shifted from initial mean of 4.00 to 7.50 cm<SUP>2</SUP>. There was generally increase in the population of the carbon degrading organisms with time while free living organisms like <I>Streptococcus</I> sp. and <I>Klebsiella</I> sp. had initial depression in population. <I>Micrococuss</I> sp. was eliminated from the soil. <I>Bacillus</I> sp. increased from 7×10<SUP>6</SUP> in the control to 18 × 10<SUP>6 </SUP>cfu g<SUP>-1</SUP> at 6 weeks after treatments. It was concluded that crops by-products such as neem extracts are environmentally safe soil amendments and fertility booster.
ER  -