Effects of green manure and coral lime on corn growth and chemical properties of an acid Oxisol in Western Samoa

Hunter, David J.; Yapa, L. G. G.; Hue, N. V.

doi:10.1007/s003740050242

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Larger EC values at locations 4 and 5 might be due to the mineral composition of these oxisol and ulitsol that include iron and aluminum oxides, hydroxides, quartz, kaolin, clay minerals, and organic matter. Most tropical soils, including these in the study site, are acidic due to high leaching under warm temperature and intense rainfall conditions [ 34 , 35 ]. There was no significant effect of sampling depth on CC, and EC, and of sampling location on ρ b and θ t ( Table 3 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved Calibration Functions of Three Capacitance Probes for the Measurement of Soil Moisture in Tropical Soils

Fares

Abbas

Maria

et al. 2011

Sensors

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Single capacitance sensors are sensitive to soil property variability. The objectives of this study were to: (i) establish site-specific laboratory calibration equations of three single capacitance sensors (EC-20, EC-10, and ML2x) for tropical soils, and (ii) evaluate the accuracy and precision of these sensors. Intact soil cores and bulk samples, collected from the top 20 and 80 cm soil depths at five locations across the Upper Mākaha Valley watershed, were analyzed to determine their soil bulk density (ρb), total porosity (θt), particle size distribution, and electrical conductivity (EC). Laboratory calibration equations were established using soil packed columns at six water content levels (0–0.5 cm3 cm−3). Soil bulk density and θt significantly varied with sampling depths; whereas, soil clay content (CC) and EC varied with sampling locations. Variations of ρb and θt at the two depths significantly affected the EC-20 and ML2x laboratory calibration functions; however, there was no effect of these properties on calibration equation functions of EC-10. There was no significant effect of sampling locations on the laboratory calibration functions suggesting watershed-specific equations for EC-20 and ML2x for the two depths; a single watershed-specific equation was needed for EC-10 for both sampling depths. The laboratory calibration equations for all sensors were more accurate than the corresponding default equations. ML2x exhibited better precision than EC-10, followed by EC-20. We conclude that the laboratory calibration equations can mitigate the effects of varying soil properties and improve the sensors’ accuracy for water content measurements.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved Calibration Functions of Three Capacitance Probes for the Measurement of Soil Moisture in Tropical Soils

Fares

Abbas

Maria

et al. 2011

Sensors

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“…This pH level was higher for plots that received legume green manure compared to natural fallow. In fact, it is generally considered that organic matter input positively affected soil pH and CEC (Hunter et al , 1997). The higher CEC added to greater exchangeable cation contents (Ca, Mg, K, Na) might lead to improved availability in those nutrients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-Input Pineapple Crops With High Quality Fruit: Promising Impacts of Locally Integrated and Organic Fertilisation Compared to Chemical Fertilisers

2016

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SUMMARYFruit and vegetable farming generally involves high levels of chemical inputs despite the fact that consumers are increasingly concerned about the sanitary and organoleptic aspects of fruit quality. Pineapple is largely subject to these issues since it is dominated by conventional monocropping with high levels of agrochemical inputs due to nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) fertilisation, weed management, crop protection and flowering induction. However, low-input pineapple cropping systems are both rare and little documented. Our study aimed at replacing all or part of the chemical fertilisers used with local organic fertilisers. It was conducted on the cultivar 'Queen Victoria', without pesticides or herbicides, in Reunion Island. We compared the impacts of three fertilisation treatments on pineapple growth and yield, fruit quality traits, symptoms of two major fungal diseases in fruit and production costs and labour times: (i) conventional: NPK fertiliser at recommended doses (265.5 kg ha −1 N-10.53 kg ha −1 P-445.71 kg ha −1 K); (ii) integrated: Mucuna pruriens green manure (240.03 kg ha −1 N, 18.62 kg ha −1 P, 136.11 kg ha −1 K) incorporated into the soil and a half-dose of NPK fertiliser and (iii) organic: M. pruriens green manure incorporated into the soil and foliar applications of sugarcane vinasse from a local distillery, rich in K (14.44 g L −1 ). Our results showed that NPK fertilisation could be replaced by organic fertilisers as well as by integrated fertilisation. 'D'-leaf analysis showed that vinasse supplies a largely sufficient K level for growing pineapples. With organic fertilisation, pineapple growth was slower, 199 days after planting vs. 149 days for integrated or conventional fertilisations, and fruit yield was lower, 47.25 t ha −1 vs. 52.51 and 61.24 t ha −1 , probably because M. pruriens green manure provided an early increase in soil mineral N, whereas N requirements are much higher four months after planting. However, the fruit weight (709.94 ± 123.53 g) was still within the size range required for the export market (600-900 g). Interestingly, organic fertilisation significantly reduced Leathery Pocket disease and produced the best quality fruit with the highest total soluble solids contents (TSS) and the lowest titratable acidity (TTA). Fruit quality was also significantly improved with integrated fertilisation, with fruit weight similar to that of conventional fertilisation. To conclude, these findings have implications for the sustainability of pineapple production and could lead to low-input innovative cropping systems that reduce production costs and develop local organic inputs.

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“…Potassium declined in good and poor sites except in the farmyard manure and Tithonia diversifolia treatments. Kihanda (1996) and Hunter et al (1997) reported increase in potassium due to farmyard manure and green manure application. Such increase in potassium could be explained by the fact that Tithonia diversifolia and manure contain high and readily decomposable potassium (Gachengo, 1996;Hunter et al, 1997;Jama et al, 2000), and this was the case in the present study (Table 3).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Maize Productivity and Profitability Using Organic Inputs and Mineral Fertilizer in Central Kenya Small-Hold Farms

et al. 2013

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SUMMARYDeclining land productivity is a major problem facing smallholder farmers today in Sub-Saharan Africa, and as a result increase in maize grain yield has historically staggered behind yield gains that have been achieved elsewhere in the world. This decline primarily results from reduction in soil fertility caused by continuous cultivation without adequate addition of external nutrient inputs. Improved soil fertility management practices, which combine organic and mineral fertilizer inputs, can enable efficient use of inputs applied, and can increase overall system's productivity. The trials were established at two sites with different soil fertility status to determine the effects of various organic sources (Tithonia diversifolia, Mucuna pruriens, Calliandra calothyrsus and cattle manure) and their combinations with mineral fertilizer on maize grain yield, economic return and soil chemical properties. Drought spells were common during the peak water requirement periods, and during all the seasons most (90%) of the rainfall was received before 50% flowering. In good and poor sites, there was a significant (p < 0.001) effect of season on maize grain yield. Tithonia diversifolia recorded the highest (4.2 t ha −1 ) average maize grain yield in the poor site, while Calliandra calothyrsus gave the highest (4.8 t ha −1 ) average maize grain yield in the good site. Maize grain yields were lower in treatments with sole fertilizer compared with treatments that included organic fertilizers. The maize grain yields were higher with sole organics compared with treatments integrating organic and inorganic fertilizers. Soil pH increment was statistically significant in the sole manure treatment in good and poor sites (t-test, p = 0.036 and 0.013), respectively. In the poor site, magnesium increased significantly in the sole manure and manure + 30 kg N ha −1 treatments with t-test p = 0.006 and 0.027, respectively. Soil potassium was significant in the sole manure treatment (t-test, p = 0.03). Generally the economic returns were low, with negative net benefits and benefit cost ratio of less than 1. Inorganic fertilizer recorded the highest net benefit and return to labour (p < 0.001 and <0.01, respectively) in the good site. The treatments that had very high maize grain yields did not lead to improved soil fertility, thus there is need for tradeoffs between yield gains and soil fertility management when selecting agricultural production technologies.

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Effects of green manure and coral lime on corn growth and chemical properties of an acid Oxisol in Western Samoa

Cited by 11 publications

References 12 publications

Improved Calibration Functions of Three Capacitance Probes for the Measurement of Soil Moisture in Tropical Soils

Improved Calibration Functions of Three Capacitance Probes for the Measurement of Soil Moisture in Tropical Soils

Low-Input Pineapple Crops With High Quality Fruit: Promising Impacts of Locally Integrated and Organic Fertilisation Compared to Chemical Fertilisers

Enhancing Maize Productivity and Profitability Using Organic Inputs and Mineral Fertilizer in Central Kenya Small-Hold Farms

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