Agronomic use efficiency of N fertilizer in maize-based systems in sub-Saharan Africa within the context of integrated soil fertility management

Vanlauwe, Bernard; Kihara, Job; Chivenge, Pauline; Pypers, Pieter; Coe, R.; Six, Johan

doi:10.1007/s11104-010-0462-7

Cited by 356 publications

(239 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

192

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Many Chinese farmers can reduce N inputs without sacrificing production through more efficient use of their current fertilizer resources; their environment will benefit as well (12). Most African farmers have the opportunity for significant production increases by both improving their technical efficiency and increasing their N inputs, but doing so will require improved management expertise and institutional support in dealing with the higher risks from investing in increased inputs (14,23).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, N unused by crops can be lost as emissions of potent greenhouse gases, including nitrous oxide (N 2 O), or from the root zone, leading to acidification in soils and nitrate contamination of water resources (11). Consequently, improved management of N fertilizers, leading to zero or low-intensity N emissions, serves as a key indicator of improved production and environmental performance of cropping systems (12)(13)(14)(15).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems

Carberry

Liang

Twomlow³

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Global food security requires eco-efficient agriculture to produce the required food and fiber products concomitant with ecologically efficient use of resources. This eco-efficiency concept is used to diagnose the state of agricultural production in China (irrigated wheat–maize double-cropping systems), Zimbabwe (rainfed maize systems), and Australia (rainfed wheat systems). More than 3,000 surveyed crop yields in these three countries were compared against simulated grain yields at farmer-specified levels of nitrogen (N) input. Many Australian commercial wheat farmers are both close to existing production frontiers and gain little prospective return from increasing their N input. Significant losses of N from their systems, either as nitrous oxide emissions or as nitrate leached from the soil profile, are infrequent and at low intensities relative to their level of grain production. These Australian farmers operate close to eco-efficient frontiers in regard to N, and so innovations in technologies and practices are essential to increasing their production without added economic or environmental risks. In contrast, many Chinese farmers can reduce N input without sacrificing production through more efficient use of their fertilizer input. In fact, there are real prospects for the double-cropping systems on the North China Plain to achieve both production increases and reduced environmental risks. Zimbabwean farmers have the opportunity for significant production increases by both improving their technical efficiency and increasing their level of input; however, doing so will require improved management expertise and greater access to institutional support for addressing the higher risks. This paper shows that pathways for achieving improved eco-efficiency will differ among diverse cropping systems.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems

Carberry

Liang

Twomlow³

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Most studies in the literature compare and contrast management practices [31][32][33][34] or examine one farming practice across different regions [5,35]. There are relatively few studies that attempt to examine soil degradation at a scale that can encompass the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of farmed landscapes in SSA.…”

Section: Spatial Scalesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The primary cause of soil degradation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is expansion and intensification of agriculture in efforts to feed its growing population. Effective solutions will support resilient systems, and must cut across agricultural, environmental, and socioeconomic objectives. While many studies compare and contrast the effects of different management practices on soil properties, soil degradation can only be evaluated within a specific temporal and spatial context using multiple indicators. The extent and rate of soil degradation in SSA is still under debate as there are no reliable data, just gross estimates. Nevertheless, certain soils are losing their ability to provide food and essential ecosystem services, and we know that soil fertility depletion is the primary cause. We synthesize data from studies that examined degradation in SSA at broad spatial and temporal scales and quantified multiple soil degradation indicators, and we found clear indications of degradation across multiple indicators. However, different indicators have different trajectories-pH and cation exchange capacity tend to decline linearly, and soil organic carbon and yields non-linearly. Future research should focus on how soil degradation in SSA leads to changes in ecosystem services, and how to manage these soils now and in the future. OPEN ACCESS

show abstract

“…In field studies, other parameters can be calculated based on differences in crop yield or total N uptake between fertilized plots and Agronomy 2017, 7, 66 2 of 15 unfertilized controls using the 'difference method' [12,[15][16][17][18][19]. Among them, agronomic efficiency of N (AEN), which corresponds to the increase in biomass or yield per unit of N applied and partial factor productivity of N (PFPN), which corresponds to the capacity of a plant to produce biomass or yield per hectare divided by the rate N applied, have been used to monitor the performance of agricultural management practices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating the Combined Effect of Tillage, Nitrogen Fertilization and Cover Crops on Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Winter Wheat

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A field study was conducted in northern France over two consecutive years to evaluate the combined effect of conventional tillage (CT) vs no till (NT) with or without cover crops (cc) and nitrogen (N) fertilization on various agronomic traits related to N use efficiency in winter wheat. Five years after conversion of CT to NT, significant increases in N use efficiency, N utilization efficiency, N agronomic efficiency, N partial factor productivity, N apparent recovery fraction and N remobilization were observed under three N fertilization regimes (0, 161, 215 kg ha −1 ). It was also observed that grain yield and grain N content were similar under CT and NT. The N nutrition index was higher under NT at the three rates of N fertilization. Moreover, N use efficiency related traits were increased in the presence of cc both under NT and CT. Thus, agronomic practices based on continuous NT in the presence of cc, appear to be promising strategies to increase N use efficiency in wheat, while reducing both the use and the loss of N-based fertilizers.

show abstract

Agronomic use efficiency of N fertilizer in maize-based systems in sub-Saharan Africa within the context of integrated soil fertility management

Cited by 356 publications

References 26 publications

Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems

Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems

The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

Investigating the Combined Effect of Tillage, Nitrogen Fertilization and Cover Crops on Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Winter Wheat

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About