Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda

The productivity of wheat is low on smallholder farms in Rwanda. Although mineral fertiliser use is being promoted as a sustainable intensification (SI) pathway, little is known about the nutrient use efficiency and profitability of various fertiliser inputs in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe district...

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Autores principales: Cyamweshi, Athanase Rusanganwa, Nabahungu, Nsharwasi Léon, Mirali, Jackson Cirhuza, Kihara, Job Maguta, Oduor, George, Rware, Harrison, Sileshi, Gudeta Weldesemayat
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Cambridge University Press 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/119929
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author Cyamweshi, Athanase Rusanganwa
Nabahungu, Nsharwasi Léon
Mirali, Jackson Cirhuza
Kihara, Job Maguta
Oduor, George
Rware, Harrison
Sileshi, Gudeta Weldesemayat
author_browse Cyamweshi, Athanase Rusanganwa
Kihara, Job Maguta
Mirali, Jackson Cirhuza
Nabahungu, Nsharwasi Léon
Oduor, George
Rware, Harrison
Sileshi, Gudeta Weldesemayat
author_facet Cyamweshi, Athanase Rusanganwa
Nabahungu, Nsharwasi Léon
Mirali, Jackson Cirhuza
Kihara, Job Maguta
Oduor, George
Rware, Harrison
Sileshi, Gudeta Weldesemayat
author_sort Cyamweshi, Athanase Rusanganwa
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The productivity of wheat is low on smallholder farms in Rwanda. Although mineral fertiliser use is being promoted as a sustainable intensification (SI) pathway, little is known about the nutrient use efficiency and profitability of various fertiliser inputs in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda. The objective of this study was to assess the use of combinations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) and boron (B) in wheat production in terms of nutrients management specifically, crop yield, production risk, input use efficiency and economic returns on smallholder farms. The study was conducted in three wheat-growing regions of Rwanda (i.e., Nyamagabe, Musanze and Burera districts) with contrasting soil conditions. The treatments included combinations of different levels of N (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha−1) with P (0, 7.5, 15 and 22.5 kg ha−1) and K (10, 20 and 30 kg ha−1) and the control with no applied nutrients. A diagnostic treatment composed of 90 kg N, 15 kg P, 20 kg K, 10 kg Mg, 2.5 kg Zn and 0.5 kg B ha−1 was also included. Mean grain yield and its variability, rainfall use efficiency (RUE), agronomic use efficiency (AE) of N and P and the value cost ratios (VCRs) were calculated to assess the sustainability of the nutrient rates. Across all sites, wheat grain yield and RUE increased with increase in N rates up to 90 kg N ha−1, beyond which no further increase was observed. The highest wheat yield (5.5 t ha−1) and RUE (6.6 kg ha−1 mm−1) with the lowest production risk (coefficient of variation [CV] = 20%) were recorded in the diagnostic treatment. Although the highest AEN and AEP were recorded at lower N and P levels, the CVs of VCR were high (>64%), indicating higher production risk to wheat farmers. In all cases, an optimum VCR (5.6), with the lowest CV (44.4%), was recorded in the diagnostic treatment. We conclude that application of 90 kg N, 15 kg P, 20 kg K, 10 kg Mg, 2.5 kg Zn and 0.1 kg B can guarantee a more SI of wheat production in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda.
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spelling CGSpace1199292025-11-11T18:49:16Z Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda Cyamweshi, Athanase Rusanganwa Nabahungu, Nsharwasi Léon Mirali, Jackson Cirhuza Kihara, Job Maguta Oduor, George Rware, Harrison Sileshi, Gudeta Weldesemayat fertilizers trace elements production controls sustainable intensification profitability abonos oligoelementos regulación de la producción The productivity of wheat is low on smallholder farms in Rwanda. Although mineral fertiliser use is being promoted as a sustainable intensification (SI) pathway, little is known about the nutrient use efficiency and profitability of various fertiliser inputs in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda. The objective of this study was to assess the use of combinations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) and boron (B) in wheat production in terms of nutrients management specifically, crop yield, production risk, input use efficiency and economic returns on smallholder farms. The study was conducted in three wheat-growing regions of Rwanda (i.e., Nyamagabe, Musanze and Burera districts) with contrasting soil conditions. The treatments included combinations of different levels of N (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha−1) with P (0, 7.5, 15 and 22.5 kg ha−1) and K (10, 20 and 30 kg ha−1) and the control with no applied nutrients. A diagnostic treatment composed of 90 kg N, 15 kg P, 20 kg K, 10 kg Mg, 2.5 kg Zn and 0.5 kg B ha−1 was also included. Mean grain yield and its variability, rainfall use efficiency (RUE), agronomic use efficiency (AE) of N and P and the value cost ratios (VCRs) were calculated to assess the sustainability of the nutrient rates. Across all sites, wheat grain yield and RUE increased with increase in N rates up to 90 kg N ha−1, beyond which no further increase was observed. The highest wheat yield (5.5 t ha−1) and RUE (6.6 kg ha−1 mm−1) with the lowest production risk (coefficient of variation [CV] = 20%) were recorded in the diagnostic treatment. Although the highest AEN and AEP were recorded at lower N and P levels, the CVs of VCR were high (>64%), indicating higher production risk to wheat farmers. In all cases, an optimum VCR (5.6), with the lowest CV (44.4%), was recorded in the diagnostic treatment. We conclude that application of 90 kg N, 15 kg P, 20 kg K, 10 kg Mg, 2.5 kg Zn and 0.1 kg B can guarantee a more SI of wheat production in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda. 2022 2022-06-24T06:49:00Z 2022-06-24T06:49:00Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/119929 en Open Access application/pdf Cambridge University Press Cyamweshi, A.R.; Nabahungu, N.L.; Mirali, J.C.; Kihara, J.; Oduor, G.; Rware, H.; Sileshi, G.W. (2022) Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda. Experimental Agriculture 58(e20). 14 p. ISSN: 0014-4797
spellingShingle fertilizers
trace elements
production controls
sustainable intensification
profitability
abonos
oligoelementos
regulación de la producción
Cyamweshi, Athanase Rusanganwa
Nabahungu, Nsharwasi Léon
Mirali, Jackson Cirhuza
Kihara, Job Maguta
Oduor, George
Rware, Harrison
Sileshi, Gudeta Weldesemayat
Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda
title Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda
title_full Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda
title_fullStr Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda
title_short Sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda
title_sort sustainable intensification of wheat production under smallholder farming systems in burera musanze and nyamagabe districts of rwanda
topic fertilizers
trace elements
production controls
sustainable intensification
profitability
abonos
oligoelementos
regulación de la producción
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/119929
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