Bio-Compost-Based Integrated Soil Fertility Management Improves Post-harvest Soil Structural and Elemental Quality in a Two-Year Conservation Agriculture Practice

The impacts of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) in conservation agriculture need short-term evaluation before continuation of its long-term practice. A split-split plot experiment with tillage (minimum tillage, MT vs. conventional tillage, CT) as the main plot, residue (20% residue, R vs. no residue as a control, NR) as the sub-plot, and compost (Trichocompost, LC; bio-slurry, BS; and recommended fertilization, RD) as the sub-sub plot treatment was conducted for two consecutive years. Composite soils were collected after harvesting the sixth crop of an annual mustard-rice-rice rotation to analyze for nutrient distribution and soil structural stability. The LC increased rice equivalent yield by 2% over RD and 4% over BS, and nitrogen (N) uptake by 11% over RD and 10% over BS. Likewise, LC had higher soil organic carbon (SOC), N, and available sulphur (S) than BS and RD. Conversion of CT to MT reduced rice equivalent yield by 11%, N uptake by 26%, and N-use efficiency by 28%. Conversely, soil structural stability and elemental quality was greater in MT than in CT, indicating the potential of MT to sequester C, N, P, and S in soil aggregates. Residue management increased rice yield in the second year by 4% and corresponding N uptake by 8%. While MT reduced the yield, our results suggest that ISFM with Trichocompost and residue retention under MT improves soil fertility and physical stability to sustain crop productivity.

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Integrated soil fertility management drives the effect of cover crops on GHG emissions in an irrigated field

10.5194/bg-2016-29 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Guillermo Guardia ◽

Diego Abalos ◽

Sonia García-Marco ◽

Miguel Quemada ◽

María Alonso-Ayuso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Cover Crops ◽

N Uptake ◽

C:N Ratio ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Soil Fertility Management ◽

Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽

Fertility Management ◽

Winter Fallow

Abstract. Agronomical and environmental benefits are associated with replacing winter fallow by cover crops (CC). Yet, the effect of this practice on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions remains poorly understood. In this context, a field experiment was carried out under Mediterranean conditions to evaluate the effect of replacing the traditional winter fallow (F) by vetch (Vicia sativa L.; V) or barley (Hordeum vulgare L.; B) on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the intercrop and the maize (Zea mays L.) cropping period. The maize was fertilized following Integrated Soil Fertility management (ISFM) criteria. Maize nitrogen (N) uptake, soil mineral N concentrations, soil temperature and moisture, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and GHG fluxes were measured during the experiment. The ISFM resulted in low cumulative N2O emissions (0.57 to 0.75 kg N2O-N ha−1), yield-scaled N2O emissions (3–6 g N2O-N kg aboveground N uptake−1) and N surplus (31 to 56 kg N ha−1) for all treatments. Although CCs increased N2O emissions during the intercrop period compared to F (1.6 and 2.6 times in B and V, respectively), the ISFM resulted in similar cumulative emissions for the CCs and F at the end of the maize cropping period. The higher C:N ratio of the B residue led to a greater proportion of N2O losses from the synthetic fertilizer in these plots, when compared to V. No significant differences were observed in CH4 and CO2 fluxes at the end of the experiment. This study shows that the use of both legume and non-legume CCs combined with ISFM could provide, in addition to the advantages reported in previous studies, an opportunity to maximize agronomic efficiency (lowering synthetic N requirements for the subsequent cash crop) without increasing cumulative or yield-scaled N2O losses.

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Reducing losses but failing to sequester carbon in soils – the case of Conservation Agriculture and Integrated Soil Fertility Management in the humid tropical agro-ecosystem of Western Kenya

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment ◽

10.1016/j.agee.2017.11.004 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 254 ◽

pp. 82-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Rolf Sommer ◽

Birthe Katharina Paul ◽

John Mukalama ◽

Job Kihara

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Soil Fertility Management ◽

Western Kenya ◽

Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽

Fertility Management

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Understanding system innovation adoption: A comparative analysis of integrated soil fertility management uptake in Tamale (Ghana) and Kakamega (Kenya)

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170517000485 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 34 (04) ◽

pp. 313-325 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ivan Solomon Adolwa ◽

Stefan Schwarze ◽

Boaz Waswa ◽

Andreas Buerkert

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Northern Ghana ◽

Development Programs ◽

Soil Fertility Management ◽

Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽

Fertility Management ◽

Plot Area ◽

Key Policy

AbstractSustainable intensification of African farming systems has been high on the agenda of research and development programs for decades. System innovations such as integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) and conservation agriculture have been proposed to tackle the complex challenges farmers face. In this study, we assess how different factors at the plot, farm and institutional level can influence the adoption of ISFM. We employed a stratified sampling approach to randomly select 285 and 300 farmers in Tamale, northern Ghana and Kakamega County, western Kenya, respectively. These two locations were selected to understand the underlying reasons for their divergent adoption levels. Ordinal regression models were used to identify determinants of adoption. In Tamale, adoption rates of ISFM are much lower than in Kakamega. Only 3% of the farmers fully adopted the recommended practices compared with 36% in Kakamega. The low availability of improved seeds is a major reason for the lower uptake of the complete ISFM paradigm in Tamale. The econometric analysis revealed that plot level variables such as soil carbon, soil texture, slope and plot area had a significant effect on the number of adopted ISFM components at both locations. Moreover, family labor availability is also an important factor. Other farm and household characteristics, such as off-farm occupation, livestock ownership, and membership in associations, matter for Kakamega only. Key policy recommendations include promotion of locally available organic resources and improved access to improved seeds in Tamale.

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Physico-chemical soil attributes under conservation agriculture and integrated soil fertility management

Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems ◽

10.1007/s10705-021-10132-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Eunice A. Mutuku ◽

Bernard Vanlauwe ◽

Dries Roobroeck ◽

Pascal Boeckx ◽

Wim M. Cornelis

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Soil Fertility Management ◽

Soil Attributes ◽

Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽

Fertility Management ◽

Physico Chemical ◽

Chemical Soil

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Effect of cover crops on greenhouse gas emissions in an irrigated field under integrated soil fertility management

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-13-5245-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 5245-5257 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Guillermo Guardia ◽

Diego Abalos ◽

Sonia García-Marco ◽

Miguel Quemada ◽

María Alonso-Ayuso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Cover Crops ◽

N Uptake ◽

Environmental Benefits ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Soil Fertility Management ◽

Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽

Fertility Management ◽

Winter Fallow

Abstract. Agronomical and environmental benefits are associated with replacing winter fallow by cover crops (CCs). Yet, the effect of this practice on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions remains poorly understood. In this context, a field experiment was carried out under Mediterranean conditions to evaluate the effect of replacing the traditional winter fallow (F) by vetch (Vicia sativa L.; V) or barley (Hordeum vulgare L.; B) on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the intercrop and the maize (Zea mays L.) cropping period. The maize was fertilized following integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) criteria. Maize nitrogen (N) uptake, soil mineral N concentrations, soil temperature and moisture, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and GHG fluxes were measured during the experiment. Our management (adjusted N synthetic rates due to ISFM) and pedo-climatic conditions resulted in low cumulative N2O emissions (0.57 to 0.75 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1), yield-scaled N2O emissions (3–6 g N2O-N kg aboveground N uptake−1) and N surplus (31 to 56 kg N ha−1) for all treatments. Although CCs increased N2O emissions during the intercrop period compared to F (1.6 and 2.6 times in B and V, respectively), the ISFM resulted in similar cumulative emissions for the CCs and F at the end of the maize cropping period. The higher C : N ratio of the B residue led to a greater proportion of N2O losses from the synthetic fertilizer in these plots when compared to V. No significant differences were observed in CH4 and CO2 fluxes at the end of the experiment. This study shows that the use of both legume and nonlegume CCs combined with ISFM could provide, in addition to the advantages reported in previous studies, an opportunity to maximize agronomic efficiency (lowering synthetic N requirements for the subsequent cash crop) without increasing cumulative or yield-scaled N2O losses.

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