Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens
Soil‐borne pathogens reduce the performance of key food crops in sub‐Saharan Africa. Diversified cropping and nutrient management can enhance soil and plant health, limiting pathogen damage. To examine how management and soil health changes influence soil‐borne pathogens, we leveraged an 18‐year fie...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
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Wiley
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179876 |
| _version_ | 1855540430573142016 |
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| author | Mutai, Joyce Medvecky, Beth Vanek, Steven J. Ojiem, John Bolo, Peter Kihara, Job Fonte, Steven J. |
| author_browse | Bolo, Peter Fonte, Steven J. Kihara, Job Medvecky, Beth Mutai, Joyce Ojiem, John Vanek, Steven J. |
| author_facet | Mutai, Joyce Medvecky, Beth Vanek, Steven J. Ojiem, John Bolo, Peter Kihara, Job Fonte, Steven J. |
| author_sort | Mutai, Joyce |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Soil‐borne pathogens reduce the performance of key food crops in sub‐Saharan Africa. Diversified cropping and nutrient management can enhance soil and plant health, limiting pathogen damage. To examine how management and soil health changes influence soil‐borne pathogens, we leveraged an 18‐year field trial in western Kenya, evaluating cropping systems typical of smallholder farms. We considered three cropping systems and two organic matter management strategies: continuous maize monocrop (M–M), Tephrosia in rotation with maize (T–M), maize intercropped with soybean (M–S), application or not of farmyard manure, and retention or removal of crop residues. We assessed soil physical and chemical properties and major soil‐borne pathogens—Fusarium, Pythium, root knot nematodes (RKN), and lesion nematodes. T–M rotation significantly improved permanganate oxidizable C (POXC), particulate organic matter (POM), aggregation, and available P, while reducing pH and bulk density, compared to other systems. M–S did not significantly improve soil health relative to M–M. Manure reduced RKN by 92% but increased Fusarium by 54%. Soil pH and POXC were negatively correlated with Pythium and RKN, while Fusarium correlated positively with POXC, total C, and aggregation. Overall, continuous nutrient mining and minimal organic inputs led to declines in key soil properties (pH, POXC, POM, aggregation, and total C), with implications for pathogen dynamics. Our findings highlight the importance of organic inputs in enhancing soil health and managing pathogens but caution against using Tephrosia in nematode‐infested soils, as it appears to be a suitable host and may not suppress their populations. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace179876 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| publisherStr | Wiley |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1798762026-01-16T02:16:13Z Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens Mutai, Joyce Medvecky, Beth Vanek, Steven J. Ojiem, John Bolo, Peter Kihara, Job Fonte, Steven J. evaluation cropping systems soil quality soil-borne organisms Soil‐borne pathogens reduce the performance of key food crops in sub‐Saharan Africa. Diversified cropping and nutrient management can enhance soil and plant health, limiting pathogen damage. To examine how management and soil health changes influence soil‐borne pathogens, we leveraged an 18‐year field trial in western Kenya, evaluating cropping systems typical of smallholder farms. We considered three cropping systems and two organic matter management strategies: continuous maize monocrop (M–M), Tephrosia in rotation with maize (T–M), maize intercropped with soybean (M–S), application or not of farmyard manure, and retention or removal of crop residues. We assessed soil physical and chemical properties and major soil‐borne pathogens—Fusarium, Pythium, root knot nematodes (RKN), and lesion nematodes. T–M rotation significantly improved permanganate oxidizable C (POXC), particulate organic matter (POM), aggregation, and available P, while reducing pH and bulk density, compared to other systems. M–S did not significantly improve soil health relative to M–M. Manure reduced RKN by 92% but increased Fusarium by 54%. Soil pH and POXC were negatively correlated with Pythium and RKN, while Fusarium correlated positively with POXC, total C, and aggregation. Overall, continuous nutrient mining and minimal organic inputs led to declines in key soil properties (pH, POXC, POM, aggregation, and total C), with implications for pathogen dynamics. Our findings highlight the importance of organic inputs in enhancing soil health and managing pathogens but caution against using Tephrosia in nematode‐infested soils, as it appears to be a suitable host and may not suppress their populations. 2025-05-25 2026-01-15T08:43:37Z 2026-01-15T08:43:37Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179876 en Open Access application/pdf Wiley Mutai, J.; Medvecky, B.; Vanek, S.J.; Ojiem, J.; Bolo, P.; Kihara, J.; Fonte, S.J. (2025) Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens. Soil Science Society of America Journal 89(3): e70076. ISSN: 0361-5995 |
| spellingShingle | evaluation cropping systems soil quality soil-borne organisms Mutai, Joyce Medvecky, Beth Vanek, Steven J. Ojiem, John Bolo, Peter Kihara, Job Fonte, Steven J. Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens |
| title | Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens |
| title_full | Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens |
| title_fullStr | Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens |
| title_short | Long‐term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil‐borne pathogens |
| title_sort | long term cropping system and manure effects on soil health parameters and associated soil borne pathogens |
| topic | evaluation cropping systems soil quality soil-borne organisms |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179876 |
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