Organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in Central Kenya

Organic resources (ORs) are important nutrient inputs in tropical agriculture. Combined with mineral fertilizers, they form the backbone of integrated soil fertility management. This study was conducted to determine the medium‐ to long‐term influence of OR quality and quantity on maize productivity...

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Main Authors: Chivenge, Pauline P., Vanlauwe, Bernard, Gentile, R, Wangechi, HK, Mugendi, DN, Kessel, Chris van, Six, Johan
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/43912
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author Chivenge, Pauline P.
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Gentile, R
Wangechi, HK
Mugendi, DN
Kessel, Chris van
Six, Johan
author_browse Chivenge, Pauline P.
Gentile, R
Kessel, Chris van
Mugendi, DN
Six, Johan
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Wangechi, HK
author_facet Chivenge, Pauline P.
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Gentile, R
Wangechi, HK
Mugendi, DN
Kessel, Chris van
Six, Johan
author_sort Chivenge, Pauline P.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Organic resources (ORs) are important nutrient inputs in tropical agriculture. Combined with mineral fertilizers, they form the backbone of integrated soil fertility management. This study was conducted to determine the medium‐ to long‐term influence of OR quality and quantity on maize productivity and to evaluate the occurrence of additive benefits in terms of extra grain yield produced by the combined application of ORs and N fertilizers. Farmyard manure, high quality Mexican sunflower [Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray], intermediate quality calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meisn.) and maize (Zea mays L.), and low quality silky‐oak (Grevillea robusta A. Cunn. ex R. Br.) sawdust were incorporated into the soil at equivalent rates of 1.2 and 4 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 in Embu (clayey) and Machanga (sandy soil), together with a control to which no OR was added. All plots were split, with one half receiving 120 kg N ha−1 season−1 as CaNH4NO3. The ORs, except sawdust and maize, improved maize grain yields compared with the control at both sites. Greatest mean maize yields (i.e., 4.9 and 2.3 Mg ha−1 season−1, in Embu and Machanga, respectively) over 10 seasons were observed with the high rate of Mexican sunflower, but was not significantly different from calliandra and manure. Generally, maize yields were greater with higher than lower OR rates, except for maize and sawdust. Although N fertilizer additions to the ORs improved grain yields in Embu, the increase was marginal; resulting in negative interactive effects of applying ORs with N fertilizers, especially with high‐N ORs. Thus high‐N ORs should not be applied in combination with N fertilizers, especially at such high fertilizer N rates.
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spelling CGSpace439122024-08-27T10:37:21Z Organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in Central Kenya Chivenge, Pauline P. Vanlauwe, Bernard Gentile, R Wangechi, HK Mugendi, DN Kessel, Chris van Six, Johan soil fertility tropical crops soil exhaustion organic fertilizers farmyard manure nitrogen fertilizers maize fertilidad del suelo cultivos tropicales agotamiento del suelo abonos orgánicos estiercol abonos nitrogenados maíz Organic resources (ORs) are important nutrient inputs in tropical agriculture. Combined with mineral fertilizers, they form the backbone of integrated soil fertility management. This study was conducted to determine the medium‐ to long‐term influence of OR quality and quantity on maize productivity and to evaluate the occurrence of additive benefits in terms of extra grain yield produced by the combined application of ORs and N fertilizers. Farmyard manure, high quality Mexican sunflower [Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray], intermediate quality calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meisn.) and maize (Zea mays L.), and low quality silky‐oak (Grevillea robusta A. Cunn. ex R. Br.) sawdust were incorporated into the soil at equivalent rates of 1.2 and 4 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 in Embu (clayey) and Machanga (sandy soil), together with a control to which no OR was added. All plots were split, with one half receiving 120 kg N ha−1 season−1 as CaNH4NO3. The ORs, except sawdust and maize, improved maize grain yields compared with the control at both sites. Greatest mean maize yields (i.e., 4.9 and 2.3 Mg ha−1 season−1, in Embu and Machanga, respectively) over 10 seasons were observed with the high rate of Mexican sunflower, but was not significantly different from calliandra and manure. Generally, maize yields were greater with higher than lower OR rates, except for maize and sawdust. Although N fertilizer additions to the ORs improved grain yields in Embu, the increase was marginal; resulting in negative interactive effects of applying ORs with N fertilizers, especially with high‐N ORs. Thus high‐N ORs should not be applied in combination with N fertilizers, especially at such high fertilizer N rates. 2009-09 2014-10-02T08:32:56Z 2014-10-02T08:32:56Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/43912 en Limited Access Wiley
spellingShingle soil fertility
tropical crops
soil exhaustion
organic fertilizers
farmyard manure
nitrogen fertilizers
maize
fertilidad del suelo
cultivos tropicales
agotamiento del suelo
abonos orgánicos
estiercol
abonos nitrogenados
maíz
Chivenge, Pauline P.
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Gentile, R
Wangechi, HK
Mugendi, DN
Kessel, Chris van
Six, Johan
Organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in Central Kenya
title Organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in Central Kenya
title_full Organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in Central Kenya
title_fullStr Organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in Central Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in Central Kenya
title_short Organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in Central Kenya
title_sort organic and mineral input management to enhance crop productivity in central kenya
topic soil fertility
tropical crops
soil exhaustion
organic fertilizers
farmyard manure
nitrogen fertilizers
maize
fertilidad del suelo
cultivos tropicales
agotamiento del suelo
abonos orgánicos
estiercol
abonos nitrogenados
maíz
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/43912
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