Growth and Yield Variability of Corn (Zea mays), Carrot (Daucus carota), Peas (Pisum sativum) and Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) Grown in Fallow and Unfallow Standoff Alberta Community Garden Soils

An experiment was conducted in the Standoff Alberta community garden over the 2019 summer time. Fallow and unfallow soils of Standoff community were used for this experiment. The major nutrients Nitrogen (N) was deficient and Phosphorus (P) was low in the unfallow soil. Furthermore, fallow soil N nutrient was low and optimum for P. Soil potassium was in excess for both soils. The pH of the soils were 7.4 and 7.5 in fallow soil and unfallow soil, respectively. One level of fertilizer application rate was applied to fallow and unfallow soils. Corn, carrots and peas were planted to unfallows soil while potatoes plants were cultivated to fallow soil. Standard agronomic practices were followed to establish this experiment. The six plants were taken per square meter bi-weekly in all the locations randomly across the field in zigzag pattern for growth parameters while six plants for corn, 2 plants for peas, carrots and potatoes per square meter were harvested for yield parameters. The means of growth and yield data collected from each location were subjected to a simple t-test so as to compare the performance of crops planted in each location. The results obtained showed that there were differences of growth in different locations across the field. Moreover, heterogeneous nature of the soil in different locations influenced soil nutrients ability to favour yield of corn, carrots, peas and potatoes. However, in all the 6 locations on the field, peas pod numbers at week 4, potatoes tuber number at week 5, peas dry weight at week 4 and carrot dry weight at week 5 were insignificant, all look the same. These results suggest that application of fertilizers and shortage of water were not evenly distributed which lead to uneven yield in different locations across the field.