International Journal of Soil Science1816-4978xxxx-xxxxAcademic Journals Inc.10.3923/ijss.2013.68.77NyatuameM. NarteyS. 2201382Moisture retention affects soil quality and hence plant growth. Cocoa Husk
Powder (CHP) and Cow dung serves as soil amendment agents. This study was carried
out to investigate the effect of Cocoa Husk Powder (CHP) and Cow dung on soil
physical properties (i.e., moisture content and soil infiltration rate) at Ho
Polytechnic demonstration field. Four beds each were raised for moisture content
and infiltration rates, respectively using sandy soils. Equal volumes of water
and different quantities of CHP and Cow dung were applied to the beds using
Completely Randomized Design (CRD). In all, 12 soil samples each were taken
from both CHP and Cow dung treatment beds for analysis of moisture content using
a gravimetric method. Double infiltrometer test was used to determine the infiltration
rates. The results indicated that, for the CHP soil bed, treatment 1 (no CHP)
had mean moisture content of 4.5%, treatment 2 (mixed with 2 kg CHP) had 7.0%,
treatment 3 (mixed with 4 kg CHP) had 8.4% and treatment 4 (mixed with 6 kg
CHP) had 13% while that of the corresponding cow dung treatments were 4.4, 5.4,
7 and 11%, respectively. The basic infiltration rates recorded were 36, 33 and
21 mm h-1 (with a cumulative infiltration of 58, 52 and 45 mm) for
CHP for treatments 2, 3 and 4 while that of cow dung correspondingly were 39,
33 and 27 mm h-1 (with a cumulative infiltration of 69, 61 and 55
mm), respectively. The result shows that the more you applied the cocoa husk
powder, the greater the moisture content and less infiltration rate. It is therefore
recommended that further studies on effect of CHP on chemical properties of
soils with salt problems be ascertained.]]>Adegboyega, A.,2001Corley, W.L.,198422730Ellerbrock, R.H., H.H. Gerke, J. Bachmann and M.O. Goebel,2005695766Eynard, A.T.E.S., R.A. Kohl and D.D. Malo,20062006FAO, 1988pp: 40pp: 40Hudson, B.D.,199449189194Khalid, A.S., G.A.K. Mona and M.K. Zeinab,20122012Lal, R. and F.J. Pierce,1991Pages: 189Pages: 189Oddoye, E.O.K., S.W.A. Rhule, K. Agyente-Badu, V. Anchirinah and F.O. Ansah,2010511411144Oguike, P.C. and J.S.C. Mbagwu,200434752Reicosky, D.C.,20052005pp: 2333Rawis, W.J., Y.A. Pachepsky, J.C. Ritchie, T.M. Sobecki and H. Bloodworth,20031166176Stern, P.H., 1980