Productivity in maize based cropping systems under various soil–water–nutrient management strategies in a semi-arid, alfisol environment in East Africa

Jensen, Julio; Bernhard, Roland; Hansen, Sissel; McDonagh, John; Moberg, J. P.; Nielsen, Niels Erik; Nordbo, Ebbe

doi:10.1016/s0378-3774(02)00151-8

Cited by 76 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…At a site with P-fixing soils, manure was shown to be particularly effective in increasing maize yields, with application of 5 Mg ha -1 increasing yields from 2.3 to 4.5 Mg ha -1 . Contrasting results across sites were also found in Tanzania, where at one site NRE was only 0.1 kg kg -1 compared with 0.32 kg kg -1 at the other site, when 7.5 Mg manure of similar quality were applied to maize (Jensen et al 2003). In Zimbabwe, NRE ranged between 0.15 and 0.29 kg kg -1 when manure was applied alone or in combination with N fertilizer (Nyamangara et al 2003), while on a degraded sandy soil application of 17 Mg ha -1 poor quality manure alone could not supply sufficient nutrients to a maize crop (Chikowo et al 2004).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 68%

Nitrogen and phosphorus capture and recovery efficiencies, and crop responses to a range of soil fertility management strategies in sub-Saharan Africa

Chikowo

Corbeels

Mapfumo

et al. 2009

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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This paper examines a number of agronomic field experiments in different regions of subSaharan Africa to assess the associated variability in the efficiencies with which applied and available nutrients are taken up by crops under a wide range of management and environmental conditions. We consider N and P capture efficiencies (NCE and PCE, kg uptake kg -1 nutrient availability), and N and P recovery efficiencies (NRE and PRE, kg uptake kg -1 nutrient added). The analyzed cropping systems employed different soil fertility management practices that included (1) N and P mineral fertilizers (as sole or their combinations) (2) cattle manure composted then applied or applied directly to fields through animal corralling, and legume based systems separated into (3) improved fallows/cover cropscereal sequences, and (4) grain legume-cereal rotations. Crop responses to added nutrients varied widely, which is a logical consequence of the wide diversity in the balance of production resources across regions from arid through wet tropics, coupled with an equally large array of management practices and inter-season variability. The NCE ranged from 0.05 to 0. 123Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst DOI 10.1007/s10705-009-9303-6 quality manure immobilized soil N, while response to P was in many cases poor due to P fixation by soils. Other than good agronomy, it was apparent that flexible systems of fertilization that vary N input according to the current seasonal rainfall pattern offer opportunities for high resource capture and recovery efficiencies in semi-arid areas. We suggest the use of cropping systems modeling approaches to hasten the understanding of Africa's complex cropping systems.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 68%

Nitrogen and phosphorus capture and recovery efficiencies, and crop responses to a range of soil fertility management strategies in sub-Saharan Africa

Chikowo

Corbeels

Mapfumo

et al. 2009

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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“…kaolinite) and low organic carbon content, typical, e.g. for Lixisols, which occupy approximately 10 % of the cultivable land in SSA (Jones et al, 2013). The deterioration of topsoil physical properties has been associated with mechanically tilled soil in the absence of organic residue retention.…”

Section: Tillage Effects On Fertilizer Aementioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa: unravelling local adaptation

Vanlauwe

Descheemaeker

Giller

et al. 2015

SOIL

319

144

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Abstract. Intensification of smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is necessary to address rural poverty and natural resource degradation. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) is a means to enhance crop productivity while maximizing the agronomic efficiency (AE) of applied inputs, and can thus contribute to sustainable intensification. ISFM consists of a set of best practices, preferably used in combination, including the use of appropriate germplasm, the appropriate use of fertilizer and of organic resources, and good agronomic practices. The large variability in soil fertility conditions within smallholder farms is also recognized within ISFM, including soils with constraints beyond those addressed by fertilizer and organic inputs. The variable biophysical environments that characterize smallholder farming systems have profound effects on crop productivity and AE, and targeted application of agro-inputs and management practices is necessary to enhance AE. Further, management decisions depend on the farmer's resource endowments and production objectives. In this paper we discuss the "local adaptation" component of ISFM and how this can be conceptualized within an ISFM framework, backstopped by analysis of AE at plot and farm level. At plot level, a set of four constraints to maximum AE is discussed in relation to "local adaptation": soil acidity, secondary nutrient and micronutrient (SMN) deficiencies, physical constraints, and drought stress. In each of these cases, examples are presented whereby amendments and/or practices addressing these have a significantly positive impact on fertilizer AE, including mechanistic principles underlying these effects. While the impact of such amendments and/or practices is easily understood for some practices (e.g. the application of SMNs where these are limiting), for others, more complex processes influence AE (e.g. water harvesting under varying rainfall conditions). At farm scale, adjusting fertilizer applications to within-farm soil fertility gradients has the potential to increase AE compared with blanket recommendations, in particular where fertility gradients are strong. In the final section, "local adaption" is discussed in relation to scale issues and decision support tools are evaluated as a means to create a better understanding of complexity at farm level and to communicate appropriate scenarios for allocating agro-inputs and management practices within heterogeneous farming environments.

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“…Simulations based on long-term meteorological data revealed that combining tied-ridges and soil improvements can increase maize yields by more than double. Although tied-ridges caused water logging effects during above normal rainfall years elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa (Jensen et al, 2003), it is less likely to occur in the CRV of Ethiopia where consecutive wet days are least likely to occur and the soil is dominantly sandy loam. Vol.…”

Section: Review Of Potential Rwhm Techniques and Simulation Of Expectmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As an example, micro-catchment and in situ rainwater harvesting techniques could improve the root zone's soil water content by up to 30% thus mitigating the adverse effects of dry spells during critical crop growing seasons (Abdulkadir & Schultz, 2005;Araya & Stroosnijder, 2010;Makurira et al, 2009;Motsi et al, 2004). Because dry land soils are mostly degraded and poor in fertility, the combined applications of rainwater harvesting and soil fertility improvements could improve the crop yields by up to 6 times as compared to traditional systems (Fatondij et al, 2006;Jensen et al, 2003;Zougmore et al, 2003). Socioeconomic assessments in Ethiopia and Tanzania revealed that economic circumstances were better for the users of rainwater harvesting techniques than the non-users (Awulachew et al, 2008;Hatibu et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 3 presents the most commonly applied in situ RWHM techniques in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The performances of these in situ RWHM techniques were found to be very effective when they were combined with soil improvement techniques such as addition of manure and compost (Jensen et al, 2003;Zougmore et al, 2003). Ridges can be left open, or closed (tied-ridges) at regular intervals for holding water and facilitating infiltration (Lal, 1990;Wiyo et al, 1999).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Participatory Planning of Appropriate Rainwater Harvesting and Management Techniques in the Central Rift Valley Dry Lands of Ethiopia

Biazin¹,

Sterk²,

Temesgen³

2014

ENRR

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Despite the extensive efforts of rainwater harvesting and management (RWHM) interventions for moisture-stressed areas in Ethiopia, the adoption and wider dissemination of the newly introduced techniques have been generally meager. The objective of this study was, therefore, to develop appropriate RWHM techniques through a participatory planning process in the Central Rift Valley (CRV) dry lands of Ethiopia. To achieve this objective, a combination of literature reviews, focus group discussions, questionnaire surveys, agro-meteorological analyses and field experimentations were undertaken. Perceived agro-meteorological challenges were determined through the questionnaire survey and validated through meteorological data analyses. Potential in situ RWHM techniques were selected in a participatory process and field-tested for two consecutive growing seasons to evaluate their performances. Those techniques which were selected in a participatory process showed statistically higher crop yields than the existing practices under both low and normal rainfall years. The result of this study implied that the introduction of new RWHM techniques can be successful when they are adjusted and modified in accordance with the existing tillage, hoeing and related land management practices. It was concluded that participatory planning of in situ RWHM techniques allows both the utilization of existing knowledge and opportunities while empowering the farmers to select and introduce new practices as per the existing socioeconomic and environmental settings. The new participatory planning approach will augment the recent efforts of promoting various types of RWHM techniques for improved rainfed agriculture in the vast dry lands of Ethiopia.

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Productivity in maize based cropping systems under various soil–water–nutrient management strategies in a semi-arid, alfisol environment in East Africa

Cited by 76 publications

References 7 publications

Nitrogen and phosphorus capture and recovery efficiencies, and crop responses to a range of soil fertility management strategies in sub-Saharan Africa

Nitrogen and phosphorus capture and recovery efficiencies, and crop responses to a range of soil fertility management strategies in sub-Saharan Africa

Integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa: unravelling local adaptation

Participatory Planning of Appropriate Rainwater Harvesting and Management Techniques in the Central Rift Valley Dry Lands of Ethiopia

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