Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.)

African eggplant, a traditional and important nutrient-dense crop to Tanzania’s nutrition and food security. However, yields remain low as a result of sub-optimal irrigation and fertilizer practices. To reduce the yield gap, a randomized split-plot design set up with irrigation as a main and nitroge...

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Autores principales: Mwinuka, P.R., Mbilinyi, B.P., Mbungu, W.B., Mourice, S.K., Mahoo, H.F., Schmitter, Petra S.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/109854
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author Mwinuka, P.R.
Mbilinyi, B.P.
Mbungu, W.B.
Mourice, S.K.
Mahoo, H.F.
Schmitter, Petra S.
author_browse Mahoo, H.F.
Mbilinyi, B.P.
Mbungu, W.B.
Mourice, S.K.
Mwinuka, P.R.
Schmitter, Petra S.
author_facet Mwinuka, P.R.
Mbilinyi, B.P.
Mbungu, W.B.
Mourice, S.K.
Mahoo, H.F.
Schmitter, Petra S.
author_sort Mwinuka, P.R.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description African eggplant, a traditional and important nutrient-dense crop to Tanzania’s nutrition and food security. However, yields remain low as a result of sub-optimal irrigation and fertilizer practices. To reduce the yield gap, a randomized split-plot design set up with irrigation as a main and nitrogen (N) treatments as a sub-factor. The irrigation regimes were 100 % (I100), 80 % (I80) and 60 % (I60) of crop water requirements whilst nitrogen levels were 250 kg N/ha (F100), 187 kg N/ha (F75), 125 kg N/ha (F50) and 0 kgN/ha (F0). The study evaluated the effect of irrigation water and N on crop growth variables and yield, fruit quality, WUE and NUE. The study showed the importance of combining different irrigation performance indicators which responds to different levels of water and nitrogen to evaluate and assess suitable irrigation and fertilizer strategies for African eggplant. The crop growth variables (plant height and LAI) had a good correlation with fruit yield (R2 = 0.6 and 0.8). The fruit quality was best performed by 100 % water in combination with 75 % N treatment. The best WUE and NUE was attained at 80 % and 100 % levels of water in combination with 75 % N. However, minimizing trade-offs between the various indicators, the optimal application for African eggplant would likely be around 80 % of the total irrigation requirement and 75 % of the N requirement in sandy clay loam soils under tropical sub-humid conditions.
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spelling CGSpace1098542023-12-08T19:36:04Z Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.) Mwinuka, P.R. Mbilinyi, B.P. Mbungu, W.B. Mourice, S.K. Mahoo, H.F. Schmitter, Petra S. water use efficiency nitrogen fertilizers fertilizer application fruit vegetables eggplants horticulture solanum aethiopicum crop water use water requirements drip irrigation crop growth stage crop yield performance indexes subhumid climate soil chemicophysical properties African eggplant, a traditional and important nutrient-dense crop to Tanzania’s nutrition and food security. However, yields remain low as a result of sub-optimal irrigation and fertilizer practices. To reduce the yield gap, a randomized split-plot design set up with irrigation as a main and nitrogen (N) treatments as a sub-factor. The irrigation regimes were 100 % (I100), 80 % (I80) and 60 % (I60) of crop water requirements whilst nitrogen levels were 250 kg N/ha (F100), 187 kg N/ha (F75), 125 kg N/ha (F50) and 0 kgN/ha (F0). The study evaluated the effect of irrigation water and N on crop growth variables and yield, fruit quality, WUE and NUE. The study showed the importance of combining different irrigation performance indicators which responds to different levels of water and nitrogen to evaluate and assess suitable irrigation and fertilizer strategies for African eggplant. The crop growth variables (plant height and LAI) had a good correlation with fruit yield (R2 = 0.6 and 0.8). The fruit quality was best performed by 100 % water in combination with 75 % N treatment. The best WUE and NUE was attained at 80 % and 100 % levels of water in combination with 75 % N. However, minimizing trade-offs between the various indicators, the optimal application for African eggplant would likely be around 80 % of the total irrigation requirement and 75 % of the N requirement in sandy clay loam soils under tropical sub-humid conditions. 2021-01 2020-10-15T13:00:20Z 2020-10-15T13:00:20Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/109854 en Open Access Elsevier Mwinuka, P. R.; Mbilinyi, B. P.; Mbungu, W. B.; Mourice, S. K.; Mahoo, H. F.; Schmitter, Petra. 2021. Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.). Scientia Horticulturae, 276:109756. (Online first) [doi: 10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109756]
spellingShingle water use efficiency
nitrogen fertilizers
fertilizer application
fruit vegetables
eggplants
horticulture
solanum aethiopicum
crop water use
water requirements
drip irrigation
crop growth stage
crop yield
performance indexes
subhumid climate
soil chemicophysical properties
Mwinuka, P.R.
Mbilinyi, B.P.
Mbungu, W.B.
Mourice, S.K.
Mahoo, H.F.
Schmitter, Petra S.
Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.)
title Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.)
title_full Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.)
title_fullStr Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.)
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.)
title_short Optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub-humid climate areas: a case of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.)
title_sort optimizing water and nitrogen application for neglected horticultural species in tropical sub humid climate areas a case of african eggplant solanum aethiopicum l
topic water use efficiency
nitrogen fertilizers
fertilizer application
fruit vegetables
eggplants
horticulture
solanum aethiopicum
crop water use
water requirements
drip irrigation
crop growth stage
crop yield
performance indexes
subhumid climate
soil chemicophysical properties
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/109854
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