scholarly journals Appropriate Use of Local Phosphate Rock Increases Phosphorus Use Efficiency and Grain Yield of Sorghum and Cowpea in the Sudan Savanna

2022 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinya Iwasaki ◽  
Kenta Ikazaki ◽  
Ameri Bougma ◽  
Fujio Nagumo
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Phosphate Rock ◽  
Positive Control ◽  
Ammonium Citrate ◽  
P Fertilization ◽  
Growing Period ◽  
P Fraction ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Soluble P

Development of local P fertilizers using low-grade phosphate rock (PR) is expected to overcome the low-stagnated crop yield in Sub-Saharan Africa. Calcination and partial acidulation methods have been proposed to increase the phosphate (P) solubility of PRs. However, the effects of fertilization with calcinated PR (CPR) and partially acidulated PR (PAPR) on sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.)] and cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] cultivation are poorly understood. Therefore, we conducted a 2-year field experiment in Burkina Faso to identify the differences in sorghum and cowpea responses to CPR and PAPR application. The following eight treatments were applied with six replicates using a complete randomized block design: control without P fertilization, two types of CP (CPs), triple superphosphate (TSP) as a positive control for CPs, three types of PAPR with different degrees of acidulation (PAPRs), and single superphosphate (SSP) as a positive control for PAPRs. SSP mostly comprised of water-soluble P fraction (WP), TSP and PAPRs of WP and alkaline ammonium citrate-soluble P fraction (SP), and CPRs of SP and 2% citric acid-soluble P fraction (CP). Their solubility was in the order WP > SP > CP. The fertilization effects were evaluated by P use efficiency (PUE). In 2019, the biomass and P uptake of sorghum was decreased by the low available soil water at the early growth stage. On the contrary, cowpea survived the low available soil water because of its shorter growing period compared to sorghum. P fertilization significantly increased the grain yields. However, the effect size differed according to the crop and fertilizer types. The SP, along with WP, significantly contributed to the PUE and grain yield of sorghum, whereas only WP contributed to the PUE of cowpea. Therefore, CPs, mainly consisting of SP and CP, had a disadvantage compared to TSP, especially for cowpea. We thus concluded that PAPRs are effective for sorghum and would be effective for cowpea when the acidulation level is sufficiently high. We also conclude that the long growing period of sorghum is favorable for absorbing slow-release P, but is unfavorable for the variable rainfall often observed in this region.

scholarly journals Effects of Different Fertilization Regimes on Crop Yield and Soil Water Use Efficiency of Millet and Soybean

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 4125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Liu ◽  
Hongwei Xu ◽  
Xingmin Mu ◽  
Guangju Zhao ◽  
Peng Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
P Fertilization ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Total N ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
P Application ◽  
Soil Water Consumption

Soil water and nutrients are major factors limiting crop productivity. In the present study, soil water use efficiency (WUE) and crop yield of millet and soybean were investigated under nine fertilization regimes (no nitrogen (N) and no phosphorus (P) (CK), 120 kg ha−1 N and no P (N1P0), 240 kg ha−1 N and no P (N2P0), 45 kg ha−1 P and no N (N0P1), 90 kg ha−1 P and no N (N0P2), 120 kg ha−1 N and 45 kg ha−1 P (N1P1), 240 kg ha−1 N and 45 kg ha−1 P (N2P1), 120 kg ha−1 N and 90 kg ha−1 P (N1P2), 240 kg ha−1 N and 90 kg ha−1 P (N2P2)) in the Loess Plateau, China. We conducted fertilization experiments in two cultivation seasons and collected soil nutrient, water use, and crop yield data. Combined N and P fertilization resulted in the greatest increase in crop yield and WUE, followed by the single P fertilizer application, and single N fertilizer application. The control treatment, which consisted of neither P nor N fertilizer application, had the least effect on crop yield. The combined N and P fertilization increased soil organic matter (SOM) and soil total N, while soil water consumption increased in all treatments. SOM and total N content increased significantly when compared to the control conditions, by 27.1–81.3%, and 301.3–669.2%, respectively, only under combined N and P application. The combined N and P application promoted the formation of a favorable soil aggregate structure and improved soil microbial activity, which accelerated fertilizer use, and enhanced the capacity of soil to maintain fertilizer supply. Crop yield increased significantly in all treatments when compared to the control conditions, with soybean and millet yields increasing by 82.5–560.1% and 55–490.8%, respectively. The combined application of N and P fertilizers increased soil water consumption, improved soil WUE, and satisfied crop growth and development requirements. In addition, soil WUE was significantly positively correlated with crop yield. Our results provide a scientific basis for rational crop fertilization in semi-arid areas on the Loess Plateau.

Water Use, Grain Yield, and Osmoregulation in Wheat

1986 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 523 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Morgan ◽  
AG Condon
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Harvest Index ◽  
High Water ◽  
Total Water ◽  
Water Deficits ◽  
Turgor Maintenance ◽  
Use Efficiency

Genotypic differences in turgor maintenance in wheat were shown to be associated with differences in grain yield in the field at both high and Low water deficits. High water deficits were produced by growing plants in field plots using water stored in the soil at sowing, and excluding rain with a rain cover. At low water deficits plants received rainfall, and irrigation was supplied before and immediately after sowing, at tillering, at jointing, at ear emergence, and during grain filling. Yield differences were analysed in terms of harvest index, water use, and water use efficiency. Water use was calculated from changes in soil water contents. At high water deficits all three factors were associated with differences in turgor maintenance. However, only the variations in water use and harvest index could be logically associated with differences in turgor maintenance. Analysis of the soil water extraction data showed that the differences in water use efficiency were due solely to differences in water use at depth while surface water losses were the same, i.e. the ratio of transpiration to soil evaporation would have been higher in low-osmoregulating genotypes. At low water deficits, no differences were observed in harvest index, though there were non-significant correlations between turgor maintenance and total water use efficiency or total water use. A similar result was obtained when the water use and yield data were related to osmoregulation measurements made in the glasshouse. It is therefore concluded that effects of turgor maintenance or osmoregulation on grain yield were primarily associated with differences in water use which were, in turn, due to differences in water extraction at soil depths between 25 and 150 cm.

scholarly journals Pigeonpea Yield and Water Use Efficiency: A Savior under Climate Change-Induced Water Stress

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Misheck Musokwa ◽  
Paramu Mafongoya
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Soil Water Tension ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Tension

Frequent droughts have threatened the crop yields and livelihoods of many smallholder farmers in South Africa. Pigeonpea can be grown by farmers to mitigate the impacts of droughts caused by climate change. An experiment was conducted at Fountainhill Farm from January 2016 to December 2017. The trial examined grain yield in addition to water use efficiency (WUE) of pigeonpea intercropped with maize versus sole pigeonpea and maize. A randomized complete block design, replicated three times, was used. Soil water tension was measured at 20, 50, and 120 cm within plots. The highest and lowest soil water tension was recorded at 20 m and 120 m respectively. Combined biomass and grain yield were significantly different: pigeonpea + maize (5513 kg ha−1) > pigeonpea (3368 kg ha−1) > maize (2425 kg ha−1). A similar trend was observed for WUE and land equivalent ratio (LER), where pigeonpea + maize outperformed all sole cropping systems. The inclusion of pigeonpea in a traditional mono-cropping system is recommended for smallholder farmers due to greater WUE, LER and other associated benefits such as food, feed and soil fertility amelioration, and it can reduce the effects of droughts induced by climate change.

Grain yield and water-use efficiency of summer maize in response to mulching with different plastic films in the North China Plain

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Rui Zong ◽  
Huifang Han ◽  
Quanqi Li
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
North China Plain ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Summer Maize ◽  
The North ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Film Mulching

Summary Plastic film (PF) mulching is widely applied in agriculture to improve water-use efficiency (WUE) and crop production. However, without efficient recovery, the residual plastic fragments in arable land threaten soil health and food security. Degradable films are generally considered as alternatives to conventional PF to mitigate PF pollution. A 2-year field experiment was conducted in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate the effects of various film mulching treatments (conventional PF mulching, transparent degradable film (TDF) mulching, and black degradable film (BDF) mulching, and no mulching) on soil water availability and summer maize yield in the North China Plain (NCP). Soil moisture, soil water storage, water use, and grain yield were recorded. Below 20 cm depth, soil moisture and soil water storage were higher in film mulching than in no mulching. Conventional PF mulching yielded the best water conservation, especially from sowing to jointing. TDF and BDF were similar in their regulation of soil moisture. Comparing to no mulching, conventional PF and degradable transparent film significantly reduced maize grain yield by 15.4 and 8.0% (average over 2 years), and reduced WUE by 9.4 and 7.8% (average 2 years), respectively. The observed reduction of grain yield in transparent film mulching might be caused by excessive soil temperature, especially at vegetative stages, which potentially accelerates crop senescence. Black film mulching reduced the soil cumulative temperature and prevent crops from being overheated. As consequence, grain yield and WUE of summer maize under BDF covering were significantly increased by 11.1 and 15.6%, respectively, over the 2 years. Therefore, we suggest that BDF can be used to replace conventional plastics to improve crop yield and control environmental pollution in the NCP.

scholarly journals Soil Water Content and High-Resolution Imagery for Precision Irrigation: Maize Yield

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonso de Lara ◽  
Louis Longchamps ◽  
Raj Khosla
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Vegetation Indices ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Maize Grain Yield ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Maize Grain ◽  
Precision Irrigation

Improvement in water use efficiency of crops is a key component in addressing the increasing global water demand. The time and depth of the soil water monitoring are essential when defining the amount of water to be applied to irrigated crops. Precision irrigation (PI) is a relatively new concept in agriculture, and it provides a vast potential for enhancing water use efficiency, while maintaining or increasing grain yield. Neutron probes (NPs) have consistently been used as a robust and accurate method to estimate soil water content (SWC). Remote sensing derived vegetation indices have been successfully used to estimate variability of Leaf Area Index and biomass, which are related to root water uptake. Crop yield has not been evaluated on a basis of SWC, as explained by NPs in time and at different depths. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the optimal time and depth of SWC and its relationship to maize grain yield (2) to determine if satellite-derived vegetation indices coupled with SWC could further improve the relationship between maize grain yield and SWC. Soil water and remote sensing data were collected throughout the crop season and analyzed. The results from the automated model selection of SWC readings, used to assess maize yield, consistently selected three dates spread around reproductive growth stages for most depths (p value < 0.05). SWC readings at the 90 cm depth had the highest correlation with maize yield, followed closely by the 120 cm. When coupled with remote sensing data, models improved by adding vegetation indices representing the crop health status at V9, right before tasseling. Thus, SWC monitoring at reproductive stages combined with vegetation indices could be a tool for improving maize irrigation management.

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