.

The importance of organic manure in the improvement and stabilization of soil structure and its physical properties is well
documented. However, the influence of poultry manure and its optimal application rate on different soil class for
improvement of soil physical condition has not received adequate research attention. A field study was conducted on two
soil textural class at different locations (sandy clay loam and clay loam) during the 2014/2015 cropping season,
investigating the effect of split application of different rates of poultry manure on soil physical properties of an alfisol in
Akure, southwestern Nigeria. Different rates of poultry manure (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 t/ha) were applied in splits over twelve
weeks and soil physical properties such as bulk density, total porosity, moisture content, temperature, dispersion ratio,
infiltration rates and sorptivity were determined at 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks after initial application (WAIA) of poultry manure.
In both soil class, poultry manure significantly (P < 0.05) reduced soil bulk density with values reducing from 1.51g/cm3 –
1.39g/cm3 for sandy clay loam and 1.45g/cm3 – 1.28g/cm3 for clay loam. Total porosity increased from 44% - 47.47% for
sandy clay loam and 45.43 % - 51.77 % for clay loam while soil temperature was increased however with no significant
difference observed in the different soil class. Application of poultry manure at 10t/ha exerted significant effect on soil
dispersion ratio (DR), reducing DR values from 0.53 – 0.34 for sandy clay loam and 0.76 – 0.53 for clay loam soil types.
Poultry manure application significantly increased soil moisture contents in both soil class, 20.50 % - 22.40 % for sandy
clay loam and 13.07 % - 16.90 % for clay loam soil type. Application of manure at 9 and 12 WAIA reduced infiltration
parameters on the sandy clay loam soil and an increase was observed in the clay loam soil. It is concluded that poultry
manure at application rate of 10 t/ha can be used in the improvement and stabilization of physical attributes of degraded
alfisols in southwestern Nigeria.