Effects of Dolomite on Some Growth Parameters of Poly Bag Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) Seedlings in an Ultisol

Background and Objective: Dolomite is a naturally occurring rock mineral that contains calcium and magnesium as its chief mineral/nutrients.Dolomite as a source of plant nutrients for raising poly bag coconut seedlings was evaluated at the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR).Materials and Methods: The study, conducted in 2 tasks was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and consisted of four levels of dolomite namely; 0, 100, 200 and 300 g in 5 replications.Task 1 had a 45 g basal application of NPK 15:15:15, while task 2 had a 65 g basal application of urea (N = 45%).Data were collected on plant height, stem girth, leaf area and number of leaves at 4 MAP, 8 MAP and 12 MAP (Months after planting).Results: Results showed that application of 100 g dolomite with a basal NPK 15:15:15 increased plant height over control throughout the sampling period, while application of 200 g dolomite with a basal NPK 15:15:15 only increased plant height over control at 12 MAP.Increased application rate of dolomite at 300 g with a basal NPK 15:15:15 depressed plant height throughout the sampling period.Application of 200 g dolomite with a basal urea only slightly increased plant height over control at 8 MAP.Conclusion: This study has shown that dolomite can be used to complement inorganic fertilizers, specifically NPK 15:15:15 for raising coconut seedlings in a naturally leached sandy soil.