Impact of Soil Fertility Management Strategies on Diversity and Populations Soil Macrofauna in an Agroecosystem

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. O. Ayuke ◽  
M. R. Rao ◽  
M. J. Swift ◽  
M. L. Opondo-Mbai
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Soil Macrofauna ◽  
Fertility Management

scholarly journals Biophysical and socio-economic tools for assessing soil fertility: A case of western hills, Nepal

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
BP Tripathi ◽  
JE Jones
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Fertility Management ◽  
Early Results

The middle mountain region of Nepal, which occupies some 30% of the total land, is the homeland of 45% of the total population, with agriculture being the main source of their livelihoods. Hill farming is primarily based on organic manure with livestock, forest and crops being major components of an integrated system. The aim of this study is to develop and promote improved methods for research and development organizations to identify cost-effective and appropriate soil fertility management strategies through; providing an improved understanding of the biophysical and socio-economic factors affecting the adaptability of sustainable soil management strategies in hillside systems, developing methodologies for evaluating soil fertility technologies and management systems for differently resource farmers in different farming systems, and strengthening the capability of local professionals in collaborating institutions to provide useful information to farmers. The work is placing emphasis on promoting cost-effective methods of soil fertility management, building on farmers' own knowledge and systems. Participatory techniques have been used for gaining a better understanding of fertility indicators, trends and existing soil management practices during 2000/01 in the western hills of Nepal. Farmers are now concerned that increasing amounts of chemical fertilizer at increasingly higher cost have to be applied, soils are becoming “harder” and production is declining. As a result farmers in four agro-ecological zones opted to either test methods for “improving” the quality of farm yard manure (FYM), or “improve” crop residue management. Early results show that through covering the FYM with black plastic sheets, yield increases of over 30% can be achieved. The use of participatory farm management techniques is providing a basis for local NGOs and farmers to evaluate their own experiments and develop soil fertility technologies and systems for their environments.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajn.v1i0.7536 Agronomy Journal of Nepal (Agron JN) Vol. 1: 2010 pp.1-9

scholarly journals Optimizing Soil Fertility Management Strategies to Enhance Banana Production in Volcanic Soils of the Northern Highlands, Tanzania

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akida I. Meya ◽  
Patrick A. Ndakidemi ◽  
Kelvin M. Mtei ◽  
Rony Swennen ◽  
Roel Merckx
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Animal Manure ◽  
Cattle Manure ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Fertility Management ◽  
N Dose

Banana is an important crop in high altitude areas of Tanzania, grown widely both as a food staple and as the main source of income. However, its production is constrained by low soil fertility, a result of gradual nutrient mining by the crop. Currently, soil fertility management in banana-based farming systems in the country relies mainly on applications of animal manure. However, the amount of manure produced in most farms is not enough to replenish soil fertility due to the small number of animals kept by smallholder resource-poor farmers who are the major producers in the country. Field experiments were conducted at three sites with varying soil types and contrasting weather conditions along the altitudinal gradients on the slopes of the volcanic mountains of Kilimanjaro and Meru, northern Tanzania to (1) investigate the effect of mineral nitrogen (mineral N) fertilizer applications on the growth and yield of Mchare banana (Musa spp., AA, a traditional East African highland cooking banana sub-group), at the four levels of 0, 77, 153, and 230 kg N ha−1 year−1 as a starter strategy to improve the current soil fertility management strategies, and (2) evaluate the effect of the combined use of inorganic and organic N sources on growth and banana fruit production as an alternative strategy to manage soil fertility and minimize animal manure requirements. The treatment factors were trial sites (Tarakea, Lyamungo, and Tengeru) as the main factor and N fertilization strategies (as urea alone, sole cattle manure, and in combination with urea, sole common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) haulms as well as in combination with urea) as a sub factor. Bean haulms and cattle manure were applied each year for two years. Fertilization at 153 kg N ha−1 year−1 derived solely from urea significantly (p < 0.001) resulted in high yield increment of up to 42% relative to the control. However, the increase was highest (52%) with the same N dose derived from cattle manure in combination with urea at 50% substitution. Sole bean haulms resulted in a smaller yield increment, the same as the lowest N dose from the sole urea fertilization treatment. The study concludes that soil fertility management in smallholder banana-based farming systems should not solely rely on animal manure and mineral fertilizers.

Soil fertility management: Impacts on soil macrofauna, soil aggregation and soil organic matter allocation

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.O. Ayuke ◽  
L. Brussaard ◽  
B. Vanlauwe ◽  
J. Six ◽  
D.K. Lelei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Aggregation ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Soil Macrofauna ◽  
Fertility Management
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