Adoption potential of selected organic resources for improving soil fertility in the central highlands of Kenya

Njoroge KS, Mugendi DN, Vanlauwe B. 2018. Effect of fertilizer-N and organic resource management on soil aggregates formation and carbon cycling in the central highlands of Kenya. Asian J Agric 2: 25-37. To inquire the way the alteration of soils of various textures and fertility values with fertilizer-N and organic resources influencing aggregate formation and subsequent carbon (C) cycling in aggregates became the objective of this research. The experiment was carried out in Embu and Machang'a regions of central Kenya and was rooted on a putrefaction tube experiment that was established in April 2005. This experiment was intended at completing long-term field experimentations initiated in 2002 to set up the impact of the application of various combinations of organic and mineral resources on soil nutrient status. The main variables were fertilizer-N and organic resources, with the sub-management being soil fertility values. Maize stover and urea fertilizer were mixed with 3.2 kg of soil and put in putrefaction tubes. The implementation rate was 4 ton and 120 kg per hectare for the maize stover and fertilizer respectively. Four management were developed, namely: control (no organic resources or fertilizer-N added), lone fertilizer-N, lone stover, and combined stover and fertilizer-N, with each management having three replicates. To decide the alterations in soil aggregates, dirt samples acquired from the putrefaction tubes were fractionated through wet sieving. SOM fractionation was also carried out to gain the various SOM fractions. All achieved aggregates and SOM fractions were then dried in the oven, ground, and analyzed for C. All collected data were examined with the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS and the means separated at p <0.05. Bigger quantity of macroaggregates from Embu soils was studied than that from Machang'a soils. For both Embu and Machang'a soil, the alteration of soils with lone or combined fertilizer-N and organic resources had a notable impact (p <0.05) on the portions of all aggregate class sizes. The alteration of soils of various fertility values with lone or combined fertilizer-N and organic resources also had a notable impact on the allocation of SOM fractions for both Embu and Machang' soils. Remarkable discrepancies in whole soils, aggregates and SOM fractions percentage carbon values were also studied. On the whole, the silt and clay fraction had higher C values than that in other aggregate size classes representing higher stabilization of C within this fraction. From the results of this research, it is concluded that the utilization of combined organic and mineral resources is preferred for the enhancement and the preservation of soil fertility in high fertility soils. In low fertility coarse-textured soils, the lone implementation of organic resources is suggested for the enhancement and the preservation of soil fertility.

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Adoption potential of selected organic resources for improving soil fertility in the central highlands of Kenya

Agroforestry Systems ◽

10.1007/s10457-009-9217-y ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 76 (2) ◽

pp. 467-485 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Jayne Mugwe ◽

Monicah Mucheru-Muna ◽

Daniel Mugendi ◽

James Kung’u ◽

Andre Bationo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Central Highlands ◽

Organic Resources

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Communication channels used in dissemination of soil fertility management practices in the central highlands of Kenya S. W. KIMARU-MUCHAI, M. W. MUCHERU-MUNA, J . N. MUGWE,

Agro-Ecological Intensification of Agricultural Systems in the African Highlands ◽

10.4324/9780203114742-36 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 301-311

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Management Practices ◽

Communication Channels ◽

Soil Fertility Management ◽

Fertility Management ◽

Central Highlands

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The The response of soil physicochemical properties to tillage and soil fertility resources in Central Highlands of Kenya

Italian Journal of Agronomy ◽

10.4081/ija.2020.1381 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Milka N. Kiboi ◽

Felix K. Ngetich ◽

Anne Muriuki ◽

Noah Adamtey ◽

Daniel Mugendi

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Aggregate Stability ◽

Mineral Fertilizer ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Tithonia Diversifolia ◽

Mineral N ◽

Total N ◽

Central Highlands

To attain agricultural sustainability, use of soil resources and tillage requires equal consideration for chemical and physical components of soil fertility. We assessed responses of selected soil physical and chemical properties to tillage and soil fertility amending resources. The study was carried out in Meru South and Kandara sub-counties located in the Central Highlands of Kenya for four cropping seasons. The experimental design was split-plot with tillage as the main factor - conventional (D15) - and minimum (D0) tillage and soil fertility resources (SFR) as sub-factors - mineral fertilizer (F), crop residues + fertilizer (RF), residues + fertilizer + animal manure (RFM), residues + Tithonia diversifolia + manure (RTiM), residues + Tithonia diversifolia + phosphate rock (Minjingu) (RTiP), residues + manure + legume intercrop (RML) and control (no input). Compared with control, aggregate stability was significantly higher on average under SFRs with sole organics by 19% in Meru South. Total N and available P were higher under integration of fertilizer and organics in both sites. Calcium increased under sole organic or integration with fertilizer in Meru South and under sole organics in Kandara. Magnesium significantly increased under all SFRs compared with control in Kandara. Soil organic carbon significantly (P=0.02) increased under D0 by 6% compared to D15 in 0-5 cm depth in Kandara. Application of RTiM had the highest SOC in all depths’ at Meru South. SOC significantly increased under RTiP and RML by 11% in 0-5 cm depth and under RML by 13% in 5-10 cm depth at Kandara. Mineral-N (NO3–-N and NH4+-N) was higher under D0 at planting compared with D15 in Meru South. In Kandara, NO3–-N and NH4+-N were significantly higher by 17% and 30%, respectively under D0 compared with D15 at planting during SR16 season. Higher mineral N was recorded under F application on the 30th and 45th days in both sites. The highest mineral-N content was on the 45th day after planting during SR16 season and on the 30th day during LR17 season at Meru South. In Kandara, NO3–-N and NH4+-N were highest on the 45th day and 30th day, respectively, during SR16 season. During LR17 season, mineral-N was highest on the 30th day in Kandara. The study highlights that minimal soil disturbance and organic inputs use or integration with fertilizers are feasible alternatives for improving soil fertility in the Nitisols of Central Highlands of Kenya.

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DETERMINANTS OF THE DECISION TO ADOPT INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES BY SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF KENYA

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479708007072 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 61-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

JAYNE MUGWE ◽

DANIEL MUGENDI ◽

MONICAH MUCHERU-MUNA ◽

ROEL MERCKX ◽

JONAS CHIANU ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Management Practices ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Household Head ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Full Time ◽

Soil Fertility Management ◽

Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽

Fertility Management ◽

Central Highlands

SUMMARYDeclining soil fertility is a major cause of low per capita food production on smallholder farms of sub-Saharan Africa. This study attempted to provide an empirical explanation of the factors associated with farmers' decisions to adopt or not to adopt newly introduced integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies consisting of combinations of organics and mineral fertilizer in Meru South district of the central highlands of Kenya. Out of 106 households interviewed, 46% were ‘adopters’ while 54% were ‘non-adopters’. A logistic regression model showed that the factors that significantly influenced adoption positively were farm management, ability to hire labour and months in a year households bought food for their families, while age of household head and number of mature cattle negatively influenced adoption. The implication of these results is that the adoption of ISFM practices could be enhanced through targeting of younger families where both spouses work on the farm full-time and food insecure households. It is also important to target farmers that lack access to other sources of soil fertility improvement. Examples include farmers that do not own cattle or those owning few and who, therefore, have limited access to animal manure.

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Adoption Intensity of Selected Organic-Based Soil Fertility Management Technologies in the Central Highlands of Kenya

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems ◽

10.3389/fsufs.2020.570190 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Author(s):

George G. Mwaura ◽

Milka N. Kiboi ◽

Eric K. Bett ◽

Jayne N. Mugwe ◽

Anne Muriuki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Household Head ◽

Household Survey ◽

Cultivated Land ◽

Tobit Regression ◽

Soil Fertility Management ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Central Highlands ◽

Adoption Intensity

Soil fertility decline continues to be a major challenge limiting agricultural productivity globally. Despite the novelty of organic-based technologies in enhancing agricultural production in Kenya's central highlands, adoption is low. Therefore, we carried out a cross-sectional household survey of 300 randomly selected smallholder farmers to determine the specific organic-based practices by farmers; and the socioeconomic factors that influence the adoption intensity of selected organic-based technologies. We used descriptive statistics to summarize the data and the Tobit regression model to evaluate the socioeconomic determinants of adoption intensity of selected organic-based technologies. We identified nine organic-based technologies that had different adoption rates among the farmers. The majority of the farmers had adopted manure (97%) and manure combined with fertilizer (92%) in Murang'a and Tharaka-Nithi, respectively. Manure was applied to the largest land in Murang'a with 31% of the cultivated land. In comparison, manure combined with fertilizer had the highest adoption intensity in Tharaka-Nithi applied to about 25% of the cultivated land. Gender, age of the household head, level of education, household size, access to external labor, training, Tropical Livestock Unit, agriculture group membership, access to credit, land cultivated, and farming experience influenced the adoption intensity of organic-based technologies among smallholder farmers. Based on the smallholder farmers' adoption behavior, this study can be used to disaggregate the farming households better in order to tailor specific organic-based soil fertility technologies solutions that meet their unique needs. One group would be those households that face specific constraints, as reflected in their low adoption rates, women-headed households and older farmers, and thus require more targeted / intensive efforts to overcome these barriers. The other group would be those households that require less focus because, when confronted with the technologies, they are more likely to adopt them easily, for example, the male-headed households. Hence, the smallholder farmers' adoption behavior, can enable policymakers to form a base for designing appropriate policies that encourage the adoption of organic-based soil fertility technology by smallholder farmers.

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Sustainable soil management for improving sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production in West Africa, Burkina Faso

International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences ◽

10.4314/ijbcs.v14i7.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (7) ◽

pp. 2373-2382

Author(s):

Jacques Sawadogo ◽

Pane Jeanne d’Arc Coulibaly ◽

Wendpouiré Carine Valea ◽

Jean Boukari Legma

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Burkina Faso ◽

Soil Nutrients ◽

Soil Ph ◽

Yield Components ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Block Design ◽

Organic Fertilizers ◽

Combined Use ◽

Organic Resources

Improved sorghum management practice can provide smallholder farmers with stability in their household nutritional needs and ensure food security. This study was therefore conducted to compare the effect of the single of two organic resources and their combined use with inorganic fertilizer (IN) on soil fertility and sorghum production. It was conducted in the Northern part of Burkina Faso. The treatments consisted of two levels of IN (the normal and the half dose of NPK + urea) and two types of organic resources (simple compost SC and Piliostigma reticulatum leaves compost CP). These treatments were combined to give 6 treatments: T1: control ; T2 : SC ; T3 : CP; T4 : SC + ½ dose of IN ; T5 : CP + ½ dose of IN ; T6 : normal dose of IN. The experiment was led using a randomized complete block design in three replications. The result revealed a greater improvement of soil pH and nutrients induced by CP used alone. However, when combined with IN, it decreased significantly soil nutrients and sorghum yield components and yield. Contrary, the SC in combination with IN gave the highest improvement in yield components and yield of sorghum. The use of IN alone increased sorghum yield components and yield but it contributed to decrease soil pH and nutrients content. A combined use of inorganic and organic fertilizers could be therefore recommended for maintaining soil fertility and for a sustainable production of sorghum.Keywords : Organic and inorganic resources, soil nutrients, sorghum yield.

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