Abstract
A pot experiment was conducted at the Screen house of the Department of Soil Science, Akwa Ibom State University in 2023 to determine the wood ash effects on the production of tomato. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCDB) and replicated three times. Ten (10) kg of sieved soil samples were placed in 12 litre buckets with drainage holes at the bottom. Wood ash at the rates of 0.00, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, 1.20 and 1.50 gha-1 were mixed with the soil and irrigated to field capacity before transplanting. Data on soil, growth and the yield parameters of tomato were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. Results indicated that wood ash had the following chemical properties; pH 10.7, Av.P 33.8mgkg, K-24.2gkg-1, Ca-48.0gkg-1, Mg-26.4gkg-1, Total N-4.56gkg-1 and Organic C -12.07%. Results also indicated that the soil nutrient contents increased with increasing rate of wood ash applications. The pH values significantly increased linearly. It was raised from 4.78 (control) to 7.89 at wood ash application rate of 1.5gha-1 with R2 = 0.978 while exchangeable acidity decreased with increased rate of wood ash applications R2 = 0.976. The result revealed that the growth and yield of tomatoes decreases as wood ash application increases. Wood ash at the rate of (0.030gha-1) produced the best yield. The trend were: 0.03gha-1 (9.95tha-1), > control (7.97tha-1) >0.06gha-1(6.14tha-1) 0.09gha-1 (3.97tha-1) > 1.20gha-1 (2.45tha-1) > 1.50 gha-1 (2.20tha-1). Based on the results 0.03gha-1 of wood ash is recommended for tomato production with this soil.