Strategic phosphorus application in legume-cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in Western Kenya

Many food production systems in sub-Saharan Africa are constrained by phosphorus (P). We hypothesized that within legume-cereal rotation systems: targeting P to the legume phase leads to higher system productivity, and that use of grain legumes leads to better economic returns than use of herbaceous...

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Main Authors: Kihara, Job Maguta, Vanlauwe, Bernard, Waswa, Boaz Shaban, Kimetu, J.M., Chianu, Jonas N., Bationo, B. André
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Cambridge University Press 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/44135
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author Kihara, Job Maguta
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Waswa, Boaz Shaban
Kimetu, J.M.
Chianu, Jonas N.
Bationo, B. André
author_browse Bationo, B. André
Chianu, Jonas N.
Kihara, Job Maguta
Kimetu, J.M.
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Waswa, Boaz Shaban
author_facet Kihara, Job Maguta
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Waswa, Boaz Shaban
Kimetu, J.M.
Chianu, Jonas N.
Bationo, B. André
author_sort Kihara, Job Maguta
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Many food production systems in sub-Saharan Africa are constrained by phosphorus (P). We hypothesized that within legume-cereal rotation systems: targeting P to the legume phase leads to higher system productivity, and that use of grain legumes leads to better economic returns than use of herbaceous legumes. Four P application regimes: (i) no P, (ii) P applied every season, (iii) P applied in season 1 only and (iv) P applied in season 2 only were tested for four seasons in three cropping systems (continuous maize, mucuna-maize rotation and soybean-maize rotation) in a split plot experiment set up in Nyabeda, western Kenya. Treatments where P was applied were better than no P treatments. While continuous cereal systems showed the need for application of P every second season, rotation systems involving mucuna and soyabean indicated that application in one out of three seasons could be sufficient. Nitrogen fertilizer equivalence was 52 to >90 kg N ha?1for soyabean and 37 to >90 kg N ha?1 for mucuna, depending on P fertilization and season. Analysis of marginal rates of return (MRR) showed that soybean-maize rotation with one application of P was the most economically viable option, with an MRR of at least 147% compared to other non-dominated options.
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language Inglés
publishDate 2010
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spelling CGSpace441352024-11-15T08:53:06Z Strategic phosphorus application in legume-cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in Western Kenya Kihara, Job Maguta Vanlauwe, Bernard Waswa, Boaz Shaban Kimetu, J.M. Chianu, Jonas N. Bationo, B. André soybeans zea mays mucuna intercropping fertilization phosphorus yields soil fertility soja cultivo intercalado aplicación de abonos fósforo rendimiento fertilidad del suelo Many food production systems in sub-Saharan Africa are constrained by phosphorus (P). We hypothesized that within legume-cereal rotation systems: targeting P to the legume phase leads to higher system productivity, and that use of grain legumes leads to better economic returns than use of herbaceous legumes. Four P application regimes: (i) no P, (ii) P applied every season, (iii) P applied in season 1 only and (iv) P applied in season 2 only were tested for four seasons in three cropping systems (continuous maize, mucuna-maize rotation and soybean-maize rotation) in a split plot experiment set up in Nyabeda, western Kenya. Treatments where P was applied were better than no P treatments. While continuous cereal systems showed the need for application of P every second season, rotation systems involving mucuna and soyabean indicated that application in one out of three seasons could be sufficient. Nitrogen fertilizer equivalence was 52 to >90 kg N ha?1for soyabean and 37 to >90 kg N ha?1 for mucuna, depending on P fertilization and season. Analysis of marginal rates of return (MRR) showed that soybean-maize rotation with one application of P was the most economically viable option, with an MRR of at least 147% compared to other non-dominated options. 2010-01 2014-10-02T08:33:19Z 2014-10-02T08:33:19Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/44135 en Limited Access Cambridge University Press
spellingShingle soybeans
zea mays
mucuna
intercropping
fertilization
phosphorus
yields
soil fertility
soja
cultivo intercalado
aplicación de abonos
fósforo
rendimiento
fertilidad del suelo
Kihara, Job Maguta
Vanlauwe, Bernard
Waswa, Boaz Shaban
Kimetu, J.M.
Chianu, Jonas N.
Bationo, B. André
Strategic phosphorus application in legume-cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in Western Kenya
title Strategic phosphorus application in legume-cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in Western Kenya
title_full Strategic phosphorus application in legume-cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in Western Kenya
title_fullStr Strategic phosphorus application in legume-cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in Western Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Strategic phosphorus application in legume-cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in Western Kenya
title_short Strategic phosphorus application in legume-cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in Western Kenya
title_sort strategic phosphorus application in legume cereal rotations increases land productivity and profitability in western kenya
topic soybeans
zea mays
mucuna
intercropping
fertilization
phosphorus
yields
soil fertility
soja
cultivo intercalado
aplicación de abonos
fósforo
rendimiento
fertilidad del suelo
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/44135
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AT waswaboazshaban strategicphosphorusapplicationinlegumecerealrotationsincreaseslandproductivityandprofitabilityinwesternkenya
AT kimetujm strategicphosphorusapplicationinlegumecerealrotationsincreaseslandproductivityandprofitabilityinwesternkenya
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