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    Nitrogen leaching losses and balances in conventional and organic farming systems in Kenya

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    S19ArtMusyokaLeachingInthomDev.pdf (941.9Kb)
    Date
    2019-06-01
    Author
    Musyoka, M.W.
    Adamtey, N.
    Muriuki, A.W.
    Bautze, D.
    Karanja, E.N.
    Mucheru-Muna, M.
    Fiaboe, K.
    Cadisch, G.
    Type
    Journal Article
    Target Audience
    Scientists
    Metadata
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    Abstract/Description
    Organic farming has been proposed as a solution to foster agricultural sustainability and mitigate the negative environmental impacts of conventional farming. This study assessed N losses and soil surface N balances in conventional and organic farming systems in a sub-humid and semi-humid (Chuka and Thika) sites in Kenya. Nitrate–N (NO3−–N) leached was trapped at 1 m depth using the Self Integrating Accumulator core method and the changes in mineral-N were assessed at different soil depths and different crop growth stages. Both conventional and organic farming systems lost substantial amounts of NO3−–N at the early growth stages of all the crops. Cumulative NO3−–N leached was similar in all the farming systems in each cropping season. More NO3−–N was leached during potato cropping (22–38 kg N ha−1) than during maize (0.9–5.7 kg N ha−1) and vegetable cropping (1.9–2.9 kg N ha−1). Under maize cultivation, three times more NO3−–N was leached at Chuka site than at Thika site. During the potato cropping, between 79 and 83% of the N applied in the low input systems was leached, compared to 10–20% in the high input systems. Only Org-High exhibited a positive soil surface N balance (797–1263 kg ha−1) over a whole rotation period at both sites. We recommend reducing N applications for potato in all farming systems and at the early growth stages for all the crops in order to reduce N loss to the environment. We also recommend increasing N application rates in the low input systems and to developing a model to guide application of organic inputs.
    https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10705-019-10002-7
    Multi standard citation
    Permanent link to this item
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12478/5856
    Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
    https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10705-019-10002-7
    IITA Subjects
    Farming Systems
    Agrovoc Terms
    Farming Systems; Low Input Farming; Data Collection; Rain; Organic Farming
    Regions
    Africa; East Africa
    Countries
    Kenya
    Journals
    Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
    Collections
    • Journal and Journal Articles4835
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