Assessing the potential benefits of organic and mineral fertiliser combinations on legume productivity under smallholder management in Zimbabwe

Kanonge, Grace; Mtambanengwe, Florence; Manzeke, Muneta G.; Nezomba, Hatirarami; Mapfumo, Paul

doi:10.1080/02571862.2015.1053156

Cited by 16 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The increase in green manure legumes yield following basal fertilization suggest that soil supply of NPS was improved by the mineral fertilizer. Nitrogen and P are major limiting nutrients in Malawi (Kadyampakeni, 2014) as in other southern African countries (Kanonge et al, 2015) and previous studies have shown that P improves growth and N 2 fixation of legumes (Cassman et al, 1993;Whitbread et al, 2004). Soils in Malawi, as in other parts of southern Africa (Grant and Rowell, 1976), are low in S (Sakala and Mhango, 2003;Weil and Mughogho, 2000) and green manure legume yields could have increased in response to improved soil S supply.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Fertilization Strategies in Conservation Agriculture Systems With Maize–legume Cover Crop Rotations in Southern Africa

Mupangwa¹,

Thierfelder²,

Ngwira³

2016

Ex. Agric.

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Multilocation experiments were established to determine the best strategy for using inorganic fertilizer in conservation agriculture (CA) systems that use green manure cover crops, namely sunhemp, velvet bean and cowpea grown in rotation with maize. The objectives of the study were to determine (i) the effect of half and full rates of basal fertilizer on maize and legume biomass yields, (ii) the residual effects of unfertilized, half and fully fertilized green manure legumes on maize grown after the legumes, and (iii) the residual effect of unfertilized, half and fully fertilized green manure legumes combined with basal and topdressing fertilizer on maize yields. Experimental design was a randomized complete block with basal fertilizer as a treatment in the green manure legumes phase. Previously, in the maize phase, green manure legume species were the main treatment with basal fertilizer as a subtreatment (sunhemp, velvet bean and cowpea: 0, 75, 150 kg ha −1 and 0, 50, 100 kg ha −1 , respectively). Nitrogen was applied in the maize phase at 0, 23, 46, 69 kg N ha −1 as a sub-subtreatment in Malawi. Results showed that inorganic fertilizer is the most effective when applied to the maize, not green manure legumes. Biomass of green manure legumes, sunnhemp 8084 kg ha −1 , velvet bean 7678 kg ha −1 and cowpea 4520 kg ha −1 , was not significantly affected by application of basal fertilizer. Maize production increased after the application of green manure legumes with maize-after-maize, maize-after-velvet bean, maize-after-sunnhemp and maize-after-cowpea, yielding 3804, 5440, 5446 and 5339 kg ha −1 , respectively. Nitrogen increased maize yield regardless of the previously used green manure legumes species. Our results suggest that farmers should apply fertilizer to maize and grow green manure legumes on residual soil in CA systems. Despite growing green manure legumes, smallholders should apply nitrogen topdressing to maize grown using the green manure legumes in some agro-ecologies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Fertilization Strategies in Conservation Agriculture Systems With Maize–legume Cover Crop Rotations in Southern Africa

Mupangwa¹,

Thierfelder²,

Ngwira³

2016

Ex. Agric.

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“…Mineral N and cattle manure treatments and application rates were based on recommendations of the local Zimbabwe Fertilizer Company (see FAO, 2006a) as well as background knowledge on rates applied by different farmer resource groups in maize (Mtambanengwe & Mapfumo, 2005) and cowpea (Kanonge, Mtambanengwe, Nezomba, Manzeke, & Mapfumo, 2015; Manzeke et al., 2017). Similar rates of mineral and organic N fertilizer were applied each season.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Plot sizes of 4 by 3.6 m were used for both maize and cowpea. To ensure N was the only limiting factor, all treatments received similar rates of Zn, P (26 kg of P ha −1 in both maize and cowpea), and K (30 kg of K ha −1 to maize; Kanonge et al., 2015; Kurwakumire et al., 2014) as ZnSO 4 ·7H 2 O, single super phosphate (SSP) and muriate of potash (KCl; Table 2). In maize, compound D was applied at planting to treatments receiving mineral N fertilizer only to supply 30% of starter N. The remaining mineral N fertilizer for maize was applied as ammonium nitrate.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nitrogen effect on zinc biofortification of maize and cowpea in Zimbabwean smallholder farms

et al. 2020

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Agronomic biofortification of crops with zinc (Zn) can be enhanced under increased nitrogen (N) supply. Here, the effects of N fertilizer on grain Zn concentration of maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) were determined at two contrasting sites in Zimbabwe over two seasons. All treatments received soil and foliar zinc-sulphate fertilizer. Seven N treatments, with three N rates (0, 45, and 90 kg ha −1 for maize; 0, 15, and 30 kg ha −1 for cowpea), two N forms (mineral and organic), and combinations thereof were used for each crop in a randomized complete block design (n = 4). Maize grain Zn concentrations increased from 27.2 to 39.3 mg kg −1 across sites. At 45 kg N ha −1 , mineral N fertilizer increased maize grain Zn concentration more than organic N from cattle manure or a combination of mineral and organic N fertilizers. At 90 kg N ha −1 , the three N fertilizer application strategies had similar effects on maize grain Zn concentration. Co-application of N and Zn fertilizer was more effective at increasing Zn concentration in maize grain than Zn fertilizer alone. Increases in cowpea grain Zn concentration were less consistent, although grain Zn concentration increased from 39.8 to 52.7 mg kg −1 under optimal co-applications of N and Zn. Future cost/benefit analyses of agronomic biofortification need to include information on benefits of agro-fortified grain, complex farmer management decisions (including cost and access to both N and Zn fertilizers), as well as understanding of the spatial and site-specific variation in fertilizer responses.Abbreviations: CRM, certified reference material; NR, natural regions; SSA, sub-Saharan Africa.This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

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“…Moreover, the effects of OIs on crop yield might change according to the climate, soil type or season in which they are applied (Ge et al 2010;Abera et al 2012;Wei et al 2016). A practical strategy is to co-apply OI with CFs (Kanonge et al 2015;Vanlauwe et al 2010;Yang et al 2015), amidst the challenge of organic resource availability coupled with farmers' inability to quantify the recommended fertilization rates. The combined application of CFs with OIs is known to supply the immediate and subsequent crop nutrient needs with improvement in overall soil productivity (Chivenge et al 2011a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of organic inputs with mineral fertilizer on maize yield and soil microbial biomass dynamics in different seasons in a tropical acrisol

Omari

Addo

Matey

et al. 2020

Environmental Sustainability

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Introduction The practice of co-applying chemical fertilizers (CF) with organic inputs (OIs) as a soil amendment is still low in Ghana, although it has the potential to improve crop yield and soil productivity. Objectives In a two-year study, we evaluated the effects of co-applying contrasting OIs with and without CF on maize yield and soil chemical and microbial composition. Methods Aboveground biomasses of Centrosema pubescens (CEN), Pueraria phaseoloides (PUE), and Zea mays (MZE) were amended to an acrisol at 4 t ha −1 season −1. The combined treatments (CEN+, PUE+, and MZE+) were fertilized with basal NPK 15:15:15 at 40 kg N ha −1 , followed by topdressing with [(NH 4) 2 SO 4 ] at 50 kg N ha −1. Sole OI inputs (CEN, PUE, and MZE) did not receive any CF inputs. The controls (CON− and CON+) received 0 and 90 kg N ha −1 season −1. Results The results showed that either sole OIs except for MZE or its combination with CF improved grain yield compared to the CON. Grain yield ranged from 2.1 t ha −1 to 2.6 t ha −1 in the first season versus 0.8 t ha −1 to 1.7 t ha −1 in the second. The MZE+ and CEN+ treatments showed the highest mean grain yields and were similar to CON+. Although CF addition to OIs improved grain yield in all treatments, negative interaction was observed for CEN and PUE as opposed to a positive interaction in the MZE treatment. Co-application of CF with OIs on dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (DOC) and (EON) dynamics depended on seasonal soil moisture and sampling time. Moreover, co-application of CF with OIs enhanced microbial biomass in CEN but showed minimal and suppressive effects on MZE and PUE amendments, respectively. Conclusion Overall, the increased grain yield in MZE+, CEN+ and CON+ was attributable primarily to the CF addition. Thus, long term evaluations are recommended for sustainable utilization of MZE and CEN given their minimal responses in the short term in the presence of CFs.

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Assessing the potential benefits of organic and mineral fertiliser combinations on legume productivity under smallholder management in Zimbabwe

Cited by 16 publications

References 24 publications

Fertilization Strategies in Conservation Agriculture Systems With Maize–legume Cover Crop Rotations in Southern Africa

Fertilization Strategies in Conservation Agriculture Systems With Maize–legume Cover Crop Rotations in Southern Africa

Nitrogen effect on zinc biofortification of maize and cowpea in Zimbabwean smallholder farms

Influence of organic inputs with mineral fertilizer on maize yield and soil microbial biomass dynamics in different seasons in a tropical acrisol

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