Effects of Some Weather Elements and Irrigation on a Derived Polypots from Solid Wastes Used in Nigerian Dry-Land Commercial Nurseries

Abstract

Nursery experiments were conducted at Kano-Nigeria from June to May. The aim was to test the strength profile of the derived polypots obtained from the solid wastes of the discarded table water sachets produced in Nigeria, for massive production of seedlings towards plant development and general afforestation programmes. This was in view of earlier contention that the improvised polypots were not durable, and that they cannot stand the test of time for seedlings production. This was carried out by collecting the waste samples and exposing the sample specimen to some climate variables and irrigation, culminating into evolving a waste management strategy against environmental pollution, especially in the urban areas in Nigerian dry-land, as well as converting waste substances into productive values. Samples of the water sachets wastes were collected within Kano metropolis and were transformed as nursery polypots. There were 2 treatments, these are: (1) Samples of the table water sachets filled with potting mixture and exposed to natural weather vagaries with subsequent daily irrigation after the rainy period (T₁). (2) Filled samples of water sachets exposed to the same condition but without subsequent irrigation (T₂). The experiments were put under observation during this period, while relevant data were collected on the rate of disintegration of the polythene materials. Results of the investigation however showed variations within the 2 treatments. Treatment 1 had the lowest mean disintegration record of 1 percent between the 11^th and 12^th months of the experiment. The result was then subjected to analysis using independent t-test. This also indicated that at 0.05 level of significance and 10DF, calculated T was 1.1, while tabulated T was 2.2. This conforms to the durability potentials of the discarded table water sachets (solid wastes) as another option of nursery polypots in Nigeria. The result of this study is however recommended hereby for massive seedlings production at all levels, especially in Northern Nigeria where we have limited rainfall, while the experiment is suggested for duplication in the south against the occurrence of green algae.