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

dc.contributor.authorMusyoka, M.W.
dc.contributor.authorAdamtey, N.
dc.contributor.authorMuriuki, A.W.
dc.contributor.authorBautze, D.
dc.contributor.authorKaranja, E.N.
dc.contributor.authorMucheru-Muna, M.
dc.contributor.authorFiaboe, K.
dc.contributor.authorCadisch, G.
dc.date.accessioned2019-12-04T11:33:58Z
dc.date.available2019-12-04T11:33:58Z
dc.date.issued2019-06-01
dc.identifier.citationMusyoka, M.W., Adamtey, N., Muriuki, A.W., Bautze, D., Karanja, E.N., Mucheru-Muna, M., ... & Cadisch, G. (2019). Nitrogen leaching losses and balances in conventional and organic farming systems in Kenya. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 1-24.
dc.identifier.issn1385-1314
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12478/5856
dc.description.abstractOrganic 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.
dc.description.sponsorshipBiovision Foundation
dc.description.sponsorshipSwiss Coop Sustainability Fund, Liechtenstein Development Service
dc.description.sponsorshipSwiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
dc.description.sponsorshipInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
dc.description.sponsorshipSwedish International Development Cooperation Agency
dc.format.extent1-24
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsCopyrighted; all rights reserved
dc.subjectFarming Systems
dc.subjectLow Input Farming
dc.subjectData Collection
dc.subjectRain
dc.subjectOrganic Farming
dc.titleNitrogen leaching losses and balances in conventional and organic farming systems in Kenya
dc.typeJournal Article
dc.description.versionPeer Review
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Hohenheim
cg.contributor.affiliationResearch Institute of Organic Agriculture
cg.contributor.affiliationKenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
cg.contributor.affiliationKenyatta University
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionEast Africa
cg.coverage.countryKenya
cg.isijournalISI Journal
cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and developing country institute
cg.iitasubjectFarming Systems
cg.journalNutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
cg.howpublishedFormally Published
cg.accessibilitystatusLimited Access
local.dspaceid105577
cg.targetaudienceScientists
cg.identifier.doihttps://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10705-019-10002-7


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