Response of Peanut Varieties to Phosphorus and Rhizobium Inoculant Rates on Haplic Lixisols of Guinea Savanna Zone of Ghana

Peanut forms a major component of the predominantly cereal-based farming systems in Northern Ghana. However, yields are low, prompting the need to evaluate the effects of phosphorus (PR) and rhizobium inoculant (IR) rates on growth, nodulation, and yield of peanut varieties. On-station and on-farm experiments were conducted to determine the interaction effects of three P rates (0, 30, and 60 kg P2O5/ha), three IR rates (0, 3, and 6 g/kg seed), and two peanut varieties [Chinese and Nkatie Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI)] on growth, nodulation, and yield of peanut on Haplic Lixisols of Northern Ghana. Both experiments were conducted using a split-split plot design replicated three times for the on-station experiment and on six farmer's fields (on-farm experiment). In both experiments, combined application of 60 kg P2O5/ha and IR at 6 g/kg seed increased pod number in the Nkatie SARI and Chinese varieties compared to their control counterparts. PR × V interaction influenced growth, effective nodule number, and podding capacity with 60 kg P2O5/ha combined with Nkatie SARI to produce significantly higher values. The interaction of IR × V improved pod number, nodule number, and harvest index, such that inoculant at 6 g/kg seed combined with Nkatie SARI gave the best performance. PR × IR also had a significant interactive influence on peanut grain yield. Higher grain yields were recorded from 60 kg P2O5/ha in combination with 6 g/kg seed of rhizobium inoculant. Therefore, these results suggest that the use of P fertilizer at 60 kg/ha and rhizobium inoculant at 6 g/kg seed increase peanut productivity on Haplic Lixisols in Northern Ghana. However, it was prudent not to suggest any recommendations from the P rates in interaction with IR, since the result between the on-station and on-farm experiments appeared not consistent.

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Development of more effective conservation farming systems through participatory on-farm research

American Journal of Alternative Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0889189300008195 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 98-102 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

S.B. Wuest ◽

D.K. McCool ◽

B.C. Miller ◽

R.J. Veseth

Keyword(s):

Participatory Research ◽

New Technologies ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Scientific Methods ◽

Conservation Farming ◽

Working Together ◽

On Farm ◽

Current Emphasis

AbstractResearch aimed at advancing conservation farming practices is typically performed using traditional scientific approaches, which have been highly successful in increasing agricultural output and efficiency. With the current emphasis on environmental and economic sustainability of agriculture, there is a need for a more integrated approach to applied agricultural research. Participatory research helps to bring scientific methods and the integrated production needs of farmers together to develop practical, effective, and carefully tested farming methods. The strength of participatory research is in the synergism of scientists and farmers working together to design, implement, and evaluate research. The development of new technologies for farming systems large or small, conventional or organic, can be greatly enhanced through more extensive use of participatory research.

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COMMENT ON ‘DE ROO ET AL. (2019). ON-FARM TRIALS FOR DEVELOPMENT IMPACT? THE ORGANIZATION OF RESEARCH AND THE SCALING OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES’

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479718000492 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 55 (2) ◽

pp. 185-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

PATRICK C. WALL ◽

CHRISTIAN L. THIERFELDER ◽

ISAIAH NYAGUMBO ◽

LEONARD RUSINAMHODZI ◽

WALTER MUPANGWA

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Research ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Scaling Up ◽

Successful Development ◽

Agricultural Technologies ◽

Eastern And Southern Africa ◽

On Farm ◽

Scaling Out

SUMMARYIn their recent paper ‘On-farm trials for development impact? The organization of research and the scaling of agricultural technologies’, de Roo, Andersson and Krupnik report on three case studies, each undertaken by one of the authors, of projects conducting on-farm research. They reach conclusions on the limitations of the projects themselves and the effects of ‘donor dependency’, and propose a strategy to overcome these issues. However, the description of the philosophy, strategies and conduct of the projects reviewed in the southern African case study is incomplete and misleading, and shows that the case study author did not understand or overlooked important project components. Due to this the conclusions reached, insofar as this case study is concerned, are largely either invalid or already contemplated in the project activities. Here, we describe more fully the philosophy and strategies followed by the series of projects on which the case study was conducted, which were designed to facilitate, through the upscaling of project methodologies, the eventual outscaling and widespread adoption of more sustainable farming systems by smallholder farmers in eastern and southern Africa. We propose these methodologies as a valid comprehensive approach to the organization of agricultural research for development for the successful development, scaling-up and scaling-out of agricultural technologies.

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Response of Peanut to Fungicide and Phosphorus in On-station and On-farm Tests in Ghana

Peanut Science ◽

10.3146/ps08-017.1 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 157-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. B. Naab ◽

P. V. V. Prasad ◽

K. J. Boote ◽

J. W. Jones

Keyword(s):

Leaf Spot ◽

New Technologies ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Limiting Factors ◽

Northern Ghana ◽

Pod Yield ◽

P Fertilizer ◽

On Farm ◽

Phosphorus Application

Abstract Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important component of cropping systems in West Africa. Identifying production constraints in farmers' fields and evaluating possible management strategies are of prime importance to improve peanut productivity and adoption of new technologies. The objective of our research was to study the influence of fungicides and phosphorus application on severity of leaf spot, dry matter production and pod yield of peanut crops grown in on-station and farmer participatory tests (on-farm conditions) in Northern Ghana. On-station tests to evaluate yield benefits of fungicide sprays and applications of phosphorus were conducted at Wa. On-station tests included two fungicide treatments (no-spray versus fungicide spray) at four P fertilizer levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg P ha−1). On-farm tests were conducted in three villages Nakor, Piisi and Janguasi with participation of 6–11 farmers per village. On-farm tests included three treatments: (i) farmers' practice of no-fungicide and no-fertilizer (control), (ii) only fungicide, and (iii) combination of fungicide and phosphorus. The commonly grown Spanish type cultivar Chinese (90-d duration) was selected. Both leaf spot and lack of phosphorus nutrition were yield-limiting factors in on-farm tests. Applications of fungicide were effective in controlling leaf spot and improved peanut pod yield on average by 49% in the three tested field sites in on-farm tests and by 40% in on-station tests. Application of phosphorus to fungicide-treated plots further increased pod yield by 32% when compared to fungicide alone in on-farm tests. Combination of both fungicide and P fertilizer improved peanut pod yield by 95% (ranged from 75 to 120%), when compared to farmers' practice of no-fungicide and no-fertilizer.

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The Impact of Regular Research Field Hearings (RRFH) in On-farm Trials in Northeast Brazil

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479700016136 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 281-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Greg Baker ◽

Hendrik C. Knipscheer ◽

Jose De Souza Neto

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Research ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Research Field ◽

Performance Criteria ◽

Northeast Brazil ◽

Test Results ◽

Systems Research ◽

On Farm ◽

The Impact ◽

Farming Systems Research

SUMMARYThe study of livestock in farming systems research presents several challenges. Factors such as the small number of observations, high statistical variability in measurements, and the difficulty in valuing non-market inputs and outputs make it difficult to evaluate on-farm research. Regular Research Field Hearings (RRFH) can improve communication between scientists and farmers, thereby increasing mutual understanding, willingness to collaborate in evaluation, potential technologies, and also improving test results. Of three groups of sheep and goat farmers involved in on-farm testing in northeast Brazil, the group which participated in RRFH experienced a significantly higher level of success with the technology as measured according to performance criteria such as weight gains and farmers' perceptions of their animals' performance. The results confirm the importance of farmers' participation in agricultural research.

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Participatory organic research in the USA and Italy: Across a continuum of farmer–researcher partnerships

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170516000247 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 331-348 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kathleen Delate ◽

Stefano Canali ◽

Robert Turnbull ◽

Rachel Tan ◽

Luca Colombo

Keyword(s):

Participatory Research ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Research Activities ◽

The Us ◽

Organic Farmers ◽

The Usa ◽

On Farm ◽

The Eu ◽

Organic Research

AbstractOrganic agriculture continues to expand in the USA and in the European Union (EU), particularly in Italy, which had 48,650 organic farms in 2014 compared with 19,474 in the USA. Additionally, EU support for organic research is nearly double than that of the USA. Along with increased support for organic research, the EU organic community has achieved recognition at the European Commission policy level for a dedicated innovation platform, advocating the practice of farmer-first models for participatory research. The US land-grant universities have a long history of on-farm research, primarily through the Extension Service, but the need exists for more inclusive, second-loop, co-research with organic farmers. A survey was conducted of organic farmers and researchers in Italy and in the USA to ascertain the extent of participatory organic research activities and experiences, and explore the vision each group had for the future of co-innovation between organic farmers and researchers. Results indicated that, despite the higher level of organic research support in the EU, the percentage of researchers involved in on-farm/participatory organic research was equivalent in Italy and the USA, presumably due to the more recent emphasis in Italian/EU agricultural research agendas on the importance of farmer knowledge and participation in organic research. Overall, 60% of surveyed organic researchers in both countries cited involvement in on-farm/participatory organic research, with ‘farming systems’ and ‘nutrient/pest management’ the main research focus in the USA, compared with ‘farming systems’ and ‘equipment’ in Italy. Both countries’ researchers expressed their vision of participatory research as helping to improve communication between researchers and farmers, to enable work on relevant research, and to allow farmers to adapt technologies to their own conditions. Organic farmers in Italy completed survey questionnaires as part of a field day activity, leading to more Italian farmers responding to the survey, compared with USA counterparts who were queried via e-mail. Organic farmers in Italy identified ‘knowledge-sharing’ as a critical value of participatory research, and were conducting on-farm research with less compensation than US farmers. The ‘lack of time’ was cited as the most important constraint limiting participatory research by Italian and US farmers, although the ‘lack of common language’ also was rated as potentially impairing full participation. Lessons shared between EU and US organic researchers as a result of this project included methods to institute policies aimed at increasing support for organic research and co-innovations with organic farming communities, and connecting experienced on-farm researchers in the US with Italian colleagues to enhance collaborative activities with organic farmers.

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Growth, Nodulation, and Yield Responses of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) as Influenced by Combined Application of Rhizobium Inoculant and Phosphorus in the Guinea Savanna Zone of Ghana

International Journal of Agronomy ◽

10.1155/2020/8691757 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michael Asante ◽

Benjamin Dzorgbenyui Kofi Ahiabor ◽

Williams K. Atakora

Keyword(s):

Crop Production ◽

Northern Ghana ◽

Continuous Cropping ◽

Positive Interaction ◽

Internal Resources ◽

Rhizobium Inoculation ◽

Pod Yield ◽

Combined Application ◽

P Fertilizer ◽

Yield Responses

Groundnut yields obtained by farmers in northern Ghana are generally low due to low soil fertility resulting from continuous cropping coupled with low use of external inputs. There is therefore the need to use systems’ internal resources such as biological nitrogen fixation efficiently to enhance crop production. This on-station experiment investigated nodulation and pod yield responses of three groundnut varieties, namely Obolo, Oboshie and Samnut 22 to inoculation with rhizobium inoculants of exotic strains, namely Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense (BR 3267) and USDA 3456 in combination with 0 kg P ha−1, 15 kg P ha−1 and 30 kg P ha−1. Combined application of 30 kg P ha−1 and BR 3267 increased the nodule numbers in Obolo, Oboshie and Samnut 22 by 144%, 188% and 56%, respectively compared to their uninoculated counterparts. Inoculation with BR 3267 produced the highest pod yield in all the three varieties with yields increasing from 13 to 40% over that of the uninoculated treatments, with BR 3267-inoculated Samnut 22 giving the highest yield of 2013 kg ha−1. P fertilizer and rhizobium inoculant also had a significant interactive influence on the pod yield of groundnut. Combined application of 30 kg P ha−1 and rhizobium inoculation increased the groundnut yield by 64 to 68%. The study observed a positive interaction between the rhizobium strains and P fertilizer.

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A Short Review of Farming Systems Research in the Tropics

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479700013995 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

N. W. Simmonds

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Research ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Radical Change ◽

Short Review ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Systems Perspective ◽

Systems Research ◽

The Tropics ◽

On Farm ◽

Farming Systems Research

SUMMARYFarming systems research (FSR) has come to prominence as a part of tropical agricultural research in the past decade or so. The main stimulus was the growing realization that small farmers are ‘economically rational’ and agricultural economists have been the leading agents in developing FSR ideas. Three broad aspects are distinguished: (1) FSR sensu stricto, the deep analysis of farming systems as they exist, which is essentially an academic activity, (2) OFR/FSP (‘on farm research with farming systems perspective’), a practical adjunct to research which seeks to test the socio-economic suitability of research ideas on-farm before recommending extension and (3) NFSD (‘new farming systems development’) which seeks to develop complex, radical change rather than the stepwise change characteristic of OFR/FSP. The technical components of NFSD are probably mostly available but the necessary transdisciplinary, synthetic thinking is not. Research on perennial plants in tropical agriculture has been rather neglected but there are signs of growing concern; they must be an important feature of any NFSD for the wetter areas.

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Private Agricultural R&D: Do the Poor Benefit?

Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization ◽

10.1515/jafio-2021-0007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Jock R. Anderson ◽

Regina Birner ◽

Latha Najarajan ◽

Anwar Naseem ◽

Carl E. Pray

Keyword(s):

Poverty Reduction ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Agricultural Technologies ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The Public ◽

The Poor ◽

The World ◽

Agricultural Research And Development ◽

The Impact

Abstract Private agricultural research and development can foster the growth of agricultural productivity in the diverse farming systems of the developing world comparable to the public sector. We examine the extent to which technologies developed by private entities reach smallholder and resource-poor farmers, and the impact they have on poverty reduction. We critically review cases of successfully deployed improved agricultural technologies delivered by the private sector in both large and small developing countries for instructive lessons for policy makers around the world.

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