Initiatives to encourage farmer adoption of soil-fertility technologies for maize-based cropping systems in Southern Africa.

2009 ◽  
pp. 219-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mekuria ◽  
S. R. Waddington
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Farmer Adoption

scholarly journals The crucial role of mulch to enhance the stability and resilience of cropping systems in southern Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Blessing Mhlanga ◽  
Laura Ercoli ◽  
Elisa Pellegrino ◽  
Andrea Onofri ◽  
Christian Thierfelder
Keyword(s):  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Yield Stability ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Stability And Resilience

AbstractConservation agriculture has been promoted to sustainably intensify food production in smallholder farming systems in southern Africa. However, farmers have rarely fully implemented all its components, resulting in different combinations of no-tillage, crop rotation, and permanent soil cover being practiced, thus resulting in variable yield responses depending on climatic and soil conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the effect of conservation agriculture components on yield stability. We hypothesized that the use of all three conservation agriculture components would perform the best, resulting in more stable production in all environments. We evaluated at, eight trial locations across southern Africa, how partial and full implementation of these components affected crop yield and yield stability compared with conventional tillage alone or combined with mulching and/or crop rotation. Grain yield and shoot biomass of maize and cowpea were recorded along with precipitation for 2 to 5 years. Across different environments, the addition of crop rotation and mulch to no-tillage increased maize grain by 6%, and the same practices added to conventional tillage led to 13% yield increase. Conversely, adding only mulch or crop rotation to no-tillage or conventional tillage led to lower or equal maize yield. Stability analyses based on Shukla’s index showed for the first time that the most stable systems are those in which mulch is added without crop rotation. Moreover, the highest yielding systems were the least stable. Finally, additive main effects and multiplicative interaction analysis allowed clarifying that mulch added to no-tillage gives stable yields on sandy soil with high rainfall. Similarly, mulch added to conventional tillage gives stable yield on sandy soil, but under low rainfall. This is the first study that highlighted the crucial role of mulch to enhance the stability and resilience of cropping systems in southern Africa, supporting their adaptability to climate change.

Managing soil fertility to adapt to rainfall variability in smallholder cropping systems in Zimbabwe

2013 ◽  
Vol 154 ◽  
pp. 211-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Rurinda ◽  
P. Mapfumo ◽  
M.T. van Wijk ◽  
F. Mtambanengwe ◽  
M.C. Rufino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Rainfall Variability

scholarly journals Legacy effects of soil fertility management on cereal dry matter and nitrogen grain yield of organic arable cropping systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 122 ◽  
pp. 126169
Author(s):  
Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Pullens ◽  
Peter Sørensen ◽  
Bo Melander ◽  
Jørgen Eivind Olesen
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Legacy Effects ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Fertility Management

Putting Legume N2-Fixation to Work in Cropping Systems of Southern Africa

2000 ◽  
pp. 525-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken E. Giller ◽  
Sheunesu Mpepereki ◽  
Paul Mapfumo ◽  
Patrick Kasasa ◽  
Webster Sakala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
N2 Fixation ◽  
Cropping Systems

Relative cost to soil fertility of long-term crop production without fertilization

1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Campbell ◽  
F. Selles ◽  
J. T. Harapiak ◽  
G. P. Lafond
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Growth Chamber ◽  
Rotation Phase ◽  
N Fertility

An earlier analysis of yield trends of stubble-wheat in six cropping systems, over 35 yr, in a thin Black Chernozemic soil at Indian Head, Saskatchewan, showed that fertilizer improved soil quality, while absence of fertilizer, combined with frequent fallowing, led to soil degradation. The inclusion of a legume green manure crop in the rotation failed to maintain soil fertility, apparently because legumes do not supply P. Because the fertility and stored moisture effects were confounded, we conducted a growth chamber experiment to quantify soil responses to N and P in these six cropping systems. Soil from the top 15-cm of the rotation phase that had just grown two successive wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crops was used. Various factorial combinations of ammonium nitrate-N and triple superphosphate-P were applied at N/P2O5 rates up to 200/200 kg ha−1. Soil moisture was maintained in the available range. Regression analysis showed that the fallow-wheat-wheat (F-W-W) and continuous wheat (Cont W) systems that had not been fertilized in 35 yr, and which had moderate amounts of NaHCO3-P, only responded to N. In contrast, the green manure (GM)- and hay (H)- containing systems, which had also not been fertilized before had low levels of NaHCO3-P and responded to both N and P. In the field, the yields of wheat grown on stubble in 1991 rated: Cont W (N + P) > F-W-W (N + P) > F-W-W-H-H-H > Cont W > GM-W-W > F-W-W. However, in the growth chamber the rating was: Cont W (N + P) > F-W-W-H-H-H > GM-W-W > Cont W > F-W-W (N + P) > F-W-W. We suggest that the growth chamber results more accurately reflect the present fertility status of these soils, because fertility is no longer confounded with soil moisture. Grain yields in the growth chamber were directly proportional to the previously measured initial potential rate of N mineralization, indicating the value of the latter parameter as a useful index of soil N fertility. Key words: Nitrogen, phosphorus, soil degradation, legumes, fertilizers

scholarly journals Impact of land management system on crop yields and soil fertility in Cameroon

Solid Earth ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 1087-1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Tsozué ◽  
J. P. Nghonda ◽  
D. L. Mekem
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Control Sample ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Direct Seeding ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The impact of direct-seeding mulch-based cropping systems (DMC), direct seeding (DS) and tillage seeding (TS) on Sorghum yields, soil fertility and the rehabilitation of degraded soils was evaluated in northern Cameroon. Field work consisted of visual examination, soil sampling, yield and rainfall data collection. Three fertilization rates (F1: 100 kg ha−1 NPK + 25 kg ha−1 of urea in DMC, F2: 200 kg ha−1 NPK + 50 kg ha−1 of urea in DMC and F3: 300 kg ha−1 NPK + 100 kg ha−1 of urea in DMC) were applied to each cropping system (DS, TS and DMC), resulting in nine experimental plots. Two types of chemical fertilizer were used (NPK 22.10.15 and urea) and applied each year from 2002 to 2012. Average Sorghum yields were 1239, 863 and 960 kg ha−1 in DMC, DS and TS, respectively, at F1, 1658, 1139 and 1192 kg ha−1 in DMC, DS and TS, respectively, at F2, and 2270, 2138 and 1780 kg ha−1 in DMC, DS and TS, respectively, at F3. pH values were 5.2–5.7 under DMC, 4.9–5.3 under DS and TS and 5.6 in the control sample. High values of cation exchange capacity were recorded in the control sample, TS system and F1 of DMC. Base saturation rates, total nitrogen and organic matter contents were higher in the control sample and DMC than in the other systems. All studied soils were permanently not suitable for Sorghum due to the high percentage of nodules. F1 and F2 of the DS were currently not suitable, while F1 and F3 of DMC, F3 of DS and F1, F2 and F3 of TS were marginally suitable for Sorghum due to low pH values.

scholarly journals Dry Matter Production, Nutrient Cycled and Removed, and Soil Fertility Changes in Yam-Based Cropping Systems with Herbaceous Legumes in the Guinea-Sudan Zone of Benin

Scientifica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Raphiou Maliki ◽  
Brice Sinsin ◽  
Anne Floquet ◽  
Denis Cornet ◽  
Eric Malezieux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Mucuna Pruriens ◽  
Total N ◽  
Herbaceous Legumes ◽  
Andropogon Gayanus ◽  
The Impact

Traditional yam-based cropping systems (shifting cultivation, slash-and-burn, and short fallow) often result in deforestation and soil nutrient depletion. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of yam-based systems with herbaceous legumes on dry matter (DM) production (tubers, shoots), nutrients removed and recycled, and the soil fertility changes. We compared smallholders’ traditional systems (1-year fallow ofAndropogon gayanus-yam rotation, maize-yam rotation) with yam-based systems integrated herbaceous legumes (Aeschynomene histrix/maize intercropping-yam rotation,Mucuna pruriens/maize intercropping-yam rotation). The experiment was conducted during the 2002 and 2004 cropping seasons with 32 farmers, eight in each site. For each of them, a randomized complete block design with four treatments and four replicates was carried out using a partial nested model with five factors: Year, Replicate, Farmer, Site, and Treatment. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the general linear model (GLM) procedure was applied to the dry matter (DM) production (tubers, shoots), nutrient contribution to the systems, and soil properties at depths 0–10 and 10–20 cm. DM removed and recycled, total N, P, and K recycled or removed, and soil chemical properties (SOM, N, P, K, and pH water) were significantly improved on yam-based systems with legumes in comparison with traditional systems.

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