scholarly journals Comparative Assessment of Phosphorus Fertilization and Rhizobia Inoculation on Soybean Production in the Guinea Savanna Zone of Ghana

2019 ◽  
pp. 78-86
Author(s):  
Sam Ebenezer Kofi ◽  
Kugbe Xorse Joseph ◽  
Adu-Gyamfi Raphael ◽  
Odoom Asooming Daniel ◽  
Laryea Obodia Kenneth ◽  
...  

In the Guinea savannah zone of northern Ghana, the soils are reported to be declining for agricultural productivity. In these farming communities that depend on soybean production for their livelihoods, resource-poor farmers are not able to afford purchases of high cost inorganic phosphatic fertilizers to enhance the crop’s production. The need arises to identify efficient practices and strategies and research into alternative means of enhancing soybean production to improve food security. This Randomized Complete Block Design as an experimental tool was employed to carry out a research in the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana (Tolon District) to assess the agronomic and economic productivity of rhizobia inoculation use in soybean production. Treatments used for the experiment were sole soybean production, soybean + recommended phosphorus (P) fertilize rate, soybean + inoculums, and soybean + P + inoculum. A planting distance of 60*10cm was used during planting. Each treatment was replicated three times. Growth and yield data were collected on plant height, nodule number and dry weight, shoot dry weight, pods number and dry weight, grain yield, 100 seed weight and nodule effectiveness. The results revealed the existence of significant difference in grain yield between treatments (p = 0.011). Soybean + inoculation + P gave the highest yield of 3.6 t/ha followed by soybean + inoculation (3.17 t/ha), soybean + P (2.97 t/ha) and soybean only (2.6 t/ha) respectively. Significant difference was also observed for number of pods between treatments (p= 0.01), with soybean + inoculation + phosphorus recording the highest followed by soybean + inoculation, soybean + phosphorus and soybean-only treatment respectively. However, use of sole inoculation in soybean production was associated with the least production cost, high revenue generation and high benefit/cost ratio. As rhizobia inoculation of soybean produced higher yields and is comparatively cheaper than phosphorus application, inoculation is suggested for the resource poor farmer in Northern Ghana.

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Williams Kwame Atakora ◽  
Mathias Fosu ◽  
S. O. Abebrese ◽  
Michael Asante ◽  
Matthias Wissuwa

<p>Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major constraint to upland rice production on highly weathered, low activity clay soils in the humid zones of West Africa. There is a paucity of information on the short-term fertilizer P effects on rice on these soils. A field experiment was conducted in 2011 to determine the response of twenty-four (24) upland rice cultivars to fertilizer Phosphorus (P) applied at 0 and 60 kg P ha<sup>−1</sup>. An uncultivated field at SARI research area with available P (Bray 1) P content of 3.0 mg/kg was used for the experiment.</p> <p>The ploughed area was divided into two plots with one plot for +P and the other for -P treatment. Each of the 24 varieties was allocated three rows and spaced at 20 x 10 cm in four replications. The varieties were randomized for each replicate and planted on 2<sup>nd</sup> July 2011 at one seed per hill. Pre-emergence herbicide Pendimethaline 400 g/l (Alligator) was applied at 3.2 L/ha two days after planting followed by one hand weeding. For the (-) P plot, the entire field received N at 60 kg/ha as Sulphate of ammonia and K<sub>2</sub>O at 60 kg/ha as Muriate of Potash. For the (+) P plot, fertilizer was applied at NPK 60-60-60 kg/ha from Sulphate of ammonia, Triple superphosphate and Muriate of potash, respectively. For each plot, the N was split applied.</p> Results showed that the plants that received P were more vigorous and healthier. There was significant variety effect on number of tillers per plant (NOTPP), days to 50% flowering (DFF), days to maturity (DTM), dry weight of biomass (DWOB), number of panicles per plant (NOPPP), and grain yield per plant. Similarly, there was significant phosphorus effect on number of tillers per plant (NOTPP), days to 50% flowering (DFF), days to maturity (DTM), dry weight of biomass (DWOB), number of panicles per plant (NOPPP), and grain yield per plant. There was generally no interactive effect of variety by fertilizer except for DFF and DTM. The number of tillers per plant ranges from 3 – 16 with the overall mean without P application being 4 while overall mean with P application was 9. When P was applied, the number of days to 50 % flowering reduced from 86 days to 79 days. Days to maturity (DTM) was also reduced from 118 to 111 on average by P application. The varieties that were most tolerant to low P were ITA 257, Nerica 3 and TOX 1011-4-A2. The grain yield of ITA 257 remained the same whether P was applied or not. This is the variety that is best adapted to low P. We concluded that rice growth and yield components were affected by Phosphorus application. Plants that received phosphorus flowered and matured earlier. They also accumulated higher biomass and grain yield. ITA 257, Nerica 3 and TOX 1011-4-A2 were most tolerant to P deficiency.


2005 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-379
Author(s):  
B. G. Shivakumar ◽  
B. N. Mishra ◽  
R. C. Gautam

A field experiment on a greengram-wheat cropping sequence was carried out under limited water supply conditions in 1997-98 and 1998-99 at the farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. The greengram was sown either on flat beds or on broad beds 2 m in width, divided by furrows, with 0, 30 and 60 kg P2O5/ha. After the harvest of greengram pods, wheat was grown in the same plots, either with the greengram stover removed or with the stover incorporated along with 0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N/ha applied to wheat. The grain yield of greengram was higher when sown on broad beds with furrows compared to flat bed sowing, and the application of 30 or 60 kg P2O5/ha resulted in significantly higher grain yields compared to no phosphorus application. The combination of broad bed and furrows with phosphorus fertilization was found to be ideal for achieving higher productivity in greengram. The land configuration treatments had no impact on the productivity of wheat. The application of phosphorus to the preceding crop had a significant residual effect on the grain yield of wheat. The incorporation of greengram stover also significantly increased the grain yield of wheat. The increasing levels of N increased the grain yield of wheat significantly up to 80 kg/ha. The combination of greengram stover incorporation and 80 kg N/ha applied to wheat significantly increased the grain yield. Further, there was a significant interaction effect between the phosphorus applied to the preceding crop and N levels given to wheat on the grain yield of wheat.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 426-430
Author(s):  
Susmita Dey ◽  
◽  
Rakesh Kumar ◽  
K. R. Battan ◽  
A. K. Chhabra ◽  
...  

The field experiments with thirty genotypes were conducted during June to October month of kharif, 2018 and kharif, 2019, to assess extent of variability under aerobic condition. The genotypes were sown under dry direct seeded condition using randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. Each genotype was sown in single row of 5 m length with spacing of 20 cm between rows and 15 cm between plants. Data recorded for 22 characters including different morphological and quality traits from 5 randomly selected plants of each replication and mean data used for analysis. ANOVA revealed that the mean sum of squares were highly significant difference for most of the traits. The value of PCV was higher than GCV for all the twenty-two characters. However, maximum GCV and PCV were observed for root dry weight plant-1 (31.44% and 32.17%) followed grain yield plant-1 (29.97% and 31.03%), root volume (28.62% and 29.20%), root fresh weight plant-1 (28.51% and 29.08%), biological yield plant-1 (21.86% 22.50%) and number of grains panicle-1 (20.55% and 21.37%). Rest of the traits showed moderate and low GCV and PCV. High heritability and genetic advance were recorded for the traits viz., leaf length, number of tillers plant-1, number of grains panicle-1, 1000 seed weight, root length, root volume, root fresh weight plant-1, root dry weight plant-1, kernel length-breadth ratio, grain yield plant-1, biological yield plant-1 and harvest index. The information regarding different variability will provide direction to select high yielding genotypes under aerobic condition.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
F. Mintah ◽  
Y. Z. Mohammed ◽  
S. Lamptey ◽  
B. D. K. Ahiabor

Inoculating groundnut and cowpea with highly effective and competitive rhizobial strain improves nodulation. A field experiment was carried out at the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, to evaluate the growth and yield responses of cowpea and groundnut to five rhizobial inoculant strains in the Guinea Savanna zone. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with eight (8) treatments replicated four (4) times. The treatments included five rhizobial inoculant strains (NC 92, KNUST 1002, KNUST 1003, KNUST 1006, and BR 3267), two N fertilizer levels (20 kg·N/ha and 40 kg·N/ha), and a control. The results showed that rhizobial inoculation and N fertilizer application increased nodulation, biomass yield, pod number, pod weight, hundred seed weight, nodule dry weight, and pod yield of groundnut compared with the control. Rhizobial inoculation averagely increased the nodulation and yield by 63 and 67%, respectively, compared with the control. Mineral N fertilizer (20 kg N/ha) on average increased the nodulation and yield by 24 and 25%, respectively, compared with the control plots. It can be recommended from this study that, in the absence of highly competitive rhizobial strains such as KNUST 1006 and NC 92 as biofertilizers for increasing the nodulation and yield of cowpea and groundnut, 20 kg·N/ha can be used for the purpose. Further research is recommended using these rhizobial strains in combination with lower rates of N fertilizers (<20 kg·ha−1).


1984 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. B. Barraclough ◽  
R. A. Leigh

SummaryThe effect of sowing date on root growth of high-yielding crops (8–1 It grain/ha, 85% D.M.) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Hustler) was measured at Rothamsted and Woburn in 1980 and 1981. Roots were sampled by coring on five occasions and changes in root dry weight and length were determined. The average growth rate between March and June was about 1 g/m2/day (200 m/m2/day), over 5 times that measured between December and March. Increases in root weight or length with time were generally exponential to anthesis when the crops had 101–172 g root/m2 (20–32 km/m2). September-sown wheat had more root than October-sown wheat at all times, but whereas early differences in length were maintained throughout the season, root weights converged between March and June. Overall, there was no significant difference in root dry-matter production between sites at anthesis, but there was a substantial difference between years. Differences in root growth between crops were reduced by plotting the amount of root against either the number of days from sowing or accumulated thermal time. Using che latter, root growth between December and June was reasonably linear although there was some indication of a lag below 500 °C days. Regression equations obtained for the relationships between root growth and accumulated thermal time also fitted previously published data and may provide general descriptions of root growth with time.Roots of September-sown crops reached 1 m depth by December but those of October-sown crops were not detectable at this depth until April. For most crops the distribution of roots with depth was reasonably described by an exponential decay function, with over 50% of the roots in the top 20 cm of soil at all times. At Woburn in 1981, a plough-pan restricted roots to the upper soil horizons for most of the season but apparently had little effect on the total amount of root produced. For one of the experimental crops an empirical mathematical function describing the distribution of roots with depth and time is presented.Using the data from this and previously published studies, the relationship between grain yield and the amount of root at anthesis was investigated. Total root length was positively correlated with grain yield but nonetheless similarly yielding crops could have different-sized root systems. Total root dry weight was poorly correlated with grain yield.


1992 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Roy ◽  
P. K. Biswas

SUMMARYMaize was grown al the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Hathazari, Bangladesh during 1988/89 and 1989/90 to study fodder yield, cob growth and grain yield together with the contribution of pre-silking stem reserves to grain. Population densities were 33300, 44400 and 66600 plants/ha. Plants were either detopped after silking and pollen shedding, keeping 0, 2 or 3 leaves above the cob, or were left entire.The results showed that the maize crop could successfully be detopped for fodder with little or no adverse effect on grain yield. Fodder yield increased with increased plant density and among the detopping treatments the highest fodder yield was obtained when the plants were detopped just above the cob. Cob growth followed a sigmoid pattern and the highest dry weight per cob was obtained from the lowest plant density and from entire plants. The number of cobs/m2 increased with increased plant density but detopping treatments did not give any significant difference in relation to densities. The number of grains/cob was highest with 33300 plants/ha but, among the detopping treatments, plants detopped just above the cob had the lowest number of grains/cob in both years. Weight of 1000-grain decreased with increasing plant density but it was increased by detopping plants just above the cob during 1988/89, although it was decreased in 1989/90. The highest apparent translocation of pre-silking reserves was obtained using densities of 44400 plants/ha but detopping treatments did not show any consistent effect, although the highest apparent translocation (20%) and harvest index (58%) were obtained from plants detopped just above the cob.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Kombiok ◽  
S. S. J. Buah ◽  
I. K. Dzomeku

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-147
Author(s):  
Amir Taher RAH KHOSRAVANI ◽  
Cyrus MANSOURIFAR ◽  
Seyed Ali Mohammad MODARRES SANAVY ◽  
Kamal Sadat ASILAN ◽  
Hamed KESHAVARZ

In order to determine the effects of sowing date on physiological characteristics, yield and yield components of six sweet maize hybrids, an experiment was arranged in split plot based complete randomized block design with three replications. Sowing date in two levels (15 June and 1 July) and sweet maize hybrids in six variants (‘Chase’, ‘Temptation’, ‘Challenger’, ‘Basin’, ‘Obsession’ and ‘Ksc403su’) were the treatments. Results of ANOVA revealed significant difference of sowing date and sweet maize hybrids on the number of days for tassel emergence, number of days to anthesis, plant height, cob height, stem diameter, plant dry weight, cob dry weight, number of grain rows, length flowers, number of leaf above the cob, raffinose content of grain and grain yield. Mean comparisons showed that the highest grain yield was obtained for ‘Basin’ variety and it was obtained from the crop established on the 15th of June as planting date. In temperate regions, maize potential productivity seems to be more limited by the amount of solar radiation available around silking (determinant of grain set) than during grain filling (determinant of grain weight).


Author(s):  
Minghua Zhang ◽  
Zhaowen Mo ◽  
Juan Liao ◽  
Shenggang Pan ◽  
Xiongfei Chen ◽  
...  

The mechanical hill wet-seeded rice machine is benefits to establish uniform seedling, and ditches were established by using this machine. However, little knowledge is known on the effect of the establishment of ditches on growth, lodging and yield, and their relationship with root traits. In this study, two field experiments were conducted during 2012 and 2013 with using two super rice varieties (i.e. hybrid rice &lsquo;Peizataifeng&rsquo; and inbred rice &lsquo;Yuxiangyouzhan&rsquo;) grown under three ditches establishment treatments (i.e. T1: both water ditches and seed ditches were established by the machine, T2: seed ditches were established by the machine, T3: neither water nor seed ditches were established by the machine). The lodging index and lodging resistance traits, the grain yield and above-ground dry weight and the root traits were measured. The results showed that the lodging index was significantly affected by the treatments with ditches. The strongest lodging resistance was detected in mechanical hill wet-seeded rice with ditches treatment in both 2012 and 2013. The lodging resistance was strongly related to the breaking resistance, the root volume and root superficial area at the heading stage and maturity stage and the total root length at the heading stage. No significant difference was investigated in grain yield or dry weight of mechanical hill wet-seeded rice. Yuxiangyouzhan showed higher grain yield, dry weight and better lodging resistance but unfavorable root growth attributes than Peizataifeng. Therefore, the mechanical hill wet-seeded rice with ditches treatment increased rice lodging resistance is related to root traits.


1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (63) ◽  
pp. 446 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ Reuter ◽  
AM Alston ◽  
TG Heard

Infield experiments elemental sulphur (0 to 126 kg ha-1), incorporated in mixed and compound fertilizers with superphosphate (19 to 39 kg ha-1P) and manganous sulphate (0 to 16 kg ha-1Mn) was applied to calcareous soils of southern Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. The response of barley was measured in terms of grain yield, dry weight, and the manganese, phosphorus, and sulphur content of the shoots. Elemental sulphur (40 mg) alone or in compound fertilizers was incubated with 20 g surface soil for up to 52 weeks. The rate of oxidation of the sulphur and its effect on extractable manganese was measured. During 52 weeks' incubation, 20 to 50 per cent of the sulphur added to the soil was oxidized. The sulphur had little effect on the amounts of divalent and easily-reducible manganese extracted from the soil. Grain yields were increased by application of manganese and by increasing the amount of phosphorus applied from 19 to 39 kg ha-1. Elemental sulphur increased grain yield only at the low rate of phosphorus application. In one experiment a greater response to sulphur was obtained in the absence than in the presence of applied manganese. Sulphur applied with low amounts of phosphorus increased the uptake of manganese and phosphorus in the barley shoots sampled at stem extension in one experiment. In another experiment the effect on phosphorus content was not significant. Sulphur uptake was not affected. In no case did sulphur prevent the occurrence of manganese deficiency and its use to increase manganese availability and hence barley yields on these soils is not justified.


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