Abstract:

Clearing of vegetation decreases the watersheds capacity to capture moisture thereby increasing the amount of run-off and destabilizes the stream banks. Fertility reclamation efficiency of three contrasting manures on degraded watershed using amaranthus as test crop were evaluated in field and pot experiments conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD) and randomized complete design (CRD) respectively. The details of treatments are; compost and poultry manure of 0tha-1; 10tha-1; 20tha-1; 30tha-1 respectively and NPK fertilizer 15: 15: 15 at 150kgha-1, with three replications. The findings from the study showed that fertility reclamation with different rates (10tha-1, 20tha-1 and 30tha-1) of compost and poultry manure and 150kgha-1 of NPK was very positive that resulted in significant increase in the growth and yield parameters of amaranthus. However, the best performance was more observed in three rates of poultry manure with highest in 30tha-1. In slope 1 and 2 of the degraded watershed, compost at 10tha-1 produced non- significant increase in plant growth while in slope 3 and 4 compost at 20tha-1 and 30tha-1 produced increases in leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight of amaranthus respectively compared to the control plot. The amendment of the degraded watershed with NPK produced non-significant effect in growth parameter of amaranthus in slope 1, but higher productivity of amaranthus with NPK amendment was recorded in slope 2, 3 and 4 of the degraded watersheds. This study has been able to show that a well-managed watershed will encourage agriculture on a sustainable basis and promote water conservation.