Bacteria Succession and Chlorophyll Content of Maize (zea Mays) from Composted Kitchen Waste Amended Soil

Bacteria succession, growth properties, and leaf chlorophyll content in maize (Zea mays) cultivated in soils treated with different composted kitchen wastes were determined bi- weekly for ten (10) weeks using conventional microbiological techniques and agronomic procedures. Maize productivity was measured using Soil-Plant Analysis Development (SPAD 502 leaf chlorophyll meter). Results of the evaluation of total heterotrophic bacteria counts in amended and unamended soils revealed that the population ranged in the control (from 2.8×103 CFU/g to 5.6×104 CFU/g), under wet mixed compost amendments (from 4.0×104 CFU/g to 7.8×106 CFU/g), under dried Cocoyam peel amendments (from 5.3×104 CFU/g to 9.2×107 CFU/g), dried Cassava peel amendments (from 7.0×104 CFU/g to 1.11×108 CFU/g), and under yam peel amendments (from 8.1×104 CFU/g to 1.18×108 CFU/g). The result of succession analysis revealed that Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp., Corynebacterium sp., and Micrococcus sp. occured consistently in the soil, while the total number of species appearance increased as investigation progressed especially in yam peel compost amended soils. Morphometric measurements indicated that amendments encouraged improvement in plant heights, number of leaves, and leave lengths, but were more effectively enhanced under yam peel compost amendments. Plants from soils treated with composted yam peel substrate also exhibited higher leaf chlorophyll of 33.8 SPAD reading followed by plants from soils with composted cassava peel supplementals at 33.2 SPAD unit.. This study results has implications for waste management, soil improvement, and sustainable agriculture as it demonstrates how kitchen wastes can be repurposed.