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    Understanding variability in crop response to fertilizer and amendments in sub-Saharan Africa

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    U16ArtKiharaUnderstandingInthomDev.pdf (1.914Mb)
    Date
    2016-05-10
    Author
    Kihara, Job
    Nziguheba, Generose
    Zingore, Shamie
    Coulibaly, Adama
    Esilaba, Anthony O.
    Kabambe, Vernon
    Njoroge, Samuel
    Palm, Cheryl
    Huising, Jeroen
    Type
    Journal Article
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    Abstract/Description
    Improved understanding of soil fertility factors limiting crop productivity is important to develop appropriate soil and nutrient management recommendations in sub-Saharan Africa. Diagnostic trials were implemented in Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria and Tanzania, as part of the African Soils Information Service (AfSIS) project, to identify soil fertility constraints to crop production across various cropping systems and soil fertility conditions. In each country, one to three sites of 10 km _ 10 km were included with each site having 12–31 field trials. The treatments tested included a control, an NPK treatment, three treatments in which the N, P and K nutrients were omitted one at a time from the NPK treatment, and three treatments in which secondary and micronutrients (Ca, Mg, S, Zn and B) simply referred here as multi-nutrients, manure and lime were added to the NPK. The field trials were conducted for 1–2 seasons; the test crop was maize except in Mali where sorghum was used. Nitrogen was limiting in all sites and generally the most limiting nutrient except in Sidindi (Kenya) and Kontela (Mali) where P was the most limiting. The general pattern in Kiberashi (Tanzania) shows none of the nutrients were limiting. K is mainly limiting in only one site (Mbinga) although incidences of K limitation were seen in almost all sites. Addition of multi-nutrients and manure further improved the yields of NPK in most sites. Cluster analyses revealed that maize crop in 11% of fields were highly responsive to nitrogen application, 25% (i.e., 21% poor and 4% fertile) ‘non-responsive’ to any nutrient or soil amendment, 28% being ‘low responsive’ and 36% of ‘intermediate response’. This study indicates that constraints to crop production vary considerably even within a site, and that addressing limitations in secondary and micronutrients, and increasing soil carbon can improve response to fertilizers. For sustainable crop production intensification in smallholder farming systems in SSA, there is need to develop management strategies to improve efficiency of fertilizer use and of other inputs, recognizing the site-specific nutrient response patterns at various spatial scales.
    https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.05.012
    Multi standard citation
    Permanent link to this item
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12478/951
    Non-IITA Authors ORCID
    Job Kiharahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4394-9553
    Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
    https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.05.012
    Agrovoc Terms
    Cluster Sampling; Soil Management; Soil Fertility; Yield; Muestreo Cluster; Manejo Del Suelo; Fertilidad Del Suelo; Rendimiento; África Al Sur Del Sahara
    Regions
    Africa; Africa South Of Sahara
    Journals
    Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
    Collections
    • Journal and Journal Articles4835
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