Nutrient depletion by food crops in Ghana and soil organic nitrogen management

Rhodes, Edward R.

doi:10.1016/0308-521x(95)93648-w

Cited by 25 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Enhancing the SOC pool to the level of optimal range improves agronomic yields of crops and pastures through several processes such as: (i) increasing available water capacity (Huntington 2003;Lal 2000;Emerson 1995;Salter and Haworth 1961), (ii) improving plants' nutrient supplies (Johnston 1986;Larbi et al 2002;Diels et al 2002;Rhodes 1995;Quansah et al 2001;Aggarwal et al 1997;Bationo and Ntare 2000;Duxbury 2001;Mando et al 2005a, b), (iii) restoring soil structure (Roose and Barthès 2001;Carter 2002), and (iv) minimizing risks of soil erosion (Lal 1981;Fahnestock et al 1995;Wang et al 2009;Craswell and Lefroy 2001). These and other proven beneficial impacts of the SOC pool on soil quality form the basis of numerous RMPs to enhance and sustain high crop yields of small landholders for whom chemical fertilizers are either prohibitively expensive or their effectiveness is uncertain because of harsh climates and degraded soils (Lal 2004;Lal et al 1999).…”

Section: Soil Carbon and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Copenhagen: mitigating climate change and achieving food security through soil carbon sequestration

Lal¹

2010

Food Sec.

190

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This article explains the technical potential of C (carbon) sequestration in world soils for mitigating climate change and describes its positive impacts on agronomic productivity and global food security through the improvement of soil quality. It also supports the idea of economic development through the provision of payments to farmers in developing countries for their stewardship and enhancement of ecosystem services. These would be generated by their use of recommended management practices for improved agriculture. The technical potential of C sequestration in soils of terrestrial ecosystems and restoration of peat soils is ∼3 Petagram (Pg) C/yr (i.e. 3×10 15 g=3× 10 9 tonnes C/yr) or 50 ppm draw down of atmospheric CO 2 by the end of the 21st century by increasing the soil C pool at a rate of 1 Mg/ha/yr. Depending upon climate and other variables, this could increase cereal and food legume production in developing countries by 32 million Mg/yr and roots and tubers by 9 million Mg/yr. It is precisely this strategy which would have received broad political support at the COP-15 meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009 from developing countries, emerging economies and the industrialized world. Addressing the issue of foodinsecurity and global warming through sequestration of C in soils and the biota, along with payments to resource-poor farmers for the ecosystem services rendered, would be a timely win-win strategy.

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Section: Soil Carbon and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Copenhagen: mitigating climate change and achieving food security through soil carbon sequestration

Lal¹

2010

Food Sec.

190

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“…Global hot spots of hunger include sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (Rhodes, 1995;Somerville and Briscoe, 2001;Sanchez, 2002;Rosegrant and Cline, 2003;Conway and Toenniessen, 2003). Wild (2003) estimated that the annual food production of 1223 million Mg (1 Mg ¼ 10 g 6 ¼ 1000 Kg ¼ 1 metric ton) in developing countries must be increased at the rate of 2Á5 per cent y À1 by an additional 778 million Mg to meet the food demands and projected change in diet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing crop yields in the developing countries through restoration of the soil organic carbon pool in agricultural lands

2005

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Food production in developing countries, estimated at 1223 million metric tons (Mg), must be increased by 778 million Mg or 2Á5 per cent y À1 between 2000 and 2025 to meet the needs of an increased population and projected change in diet. Among numerous options, the one based on enhancing soil quality and agronomic productivity per unit area through improvement in soil organic carbon pool has numerous ancillary benefits. The available data show that crop yields can be increased by 20-70 kg ha À1 for wheat, 10-50 kg ha À1 for rice, and 30-300 kg ha À1 for maize with every 1 Mg ha À1 increase in soil organic carbon pool in the root zone. Adoption of recommended management practices on agricultural lands and degraded soils would enhance soil quality including the available water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity, soil aggregation, and susceptibility to crusting and erosion. Increase in soil organic carbon pool by 1 Mg ha À1 y À1 can increase food grain production by 32 million Mg y À1 in developing countries. While advancing food security, this strategy would also off-set fossil fuel emissions at the rate of 0Á5 Pg C y À1 through carbons sequestration in agricultural soils of developing countries.

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“…In general, subsistence farming in sub-Saharan Africa is characterized by low external input, low crop yield, food insecurity, nutrient mining, and environmental degradation (Stoorvogel, Smaling, & Janssen 1993;Rhodes 1995;Mafongoya et al 2006). Soil test levels for N and P are very low for the Guinea savanna zone (Rhodes 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important food crop commonly grown by subsistence farmers with little or no added agricultural input, primarily for lack of capital and information on appropriate recommendation rates (Albert 1994;Rhodes 1995). In general, subsistence farming in sub-Saharan Africa is characterized by low external input, low crop yield, food insecurity, nutrient mining, and environmental degradation (Stoorvogel, Smaling, & Janssen 1993;Rhodes 1995;Mafongoya et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grain Sorghum Response to NPK Fertilizer in the Guinea Savanna of Ghana

Buah¹,

Kombiok²,

Abatania

2012

Journal of Crop Improvement

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Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important food crop grown by subsistence farmers in Africa with little or no fertilizer.Field experiments were conducted in 2002 and 2003 on sandy loam soil in Guinea savanna of Ghana to determine the agronomic and economic benefits of applying nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers to sorghum. Four N levels (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg −1 as urea) were combined with two P levels (0 and 17.2 kg P ha −1 as triple superphosphate) and two K levels (0 and 33.3 kg K ha −1 as muriate of potash) to constitute 16 treatments that were tested in a randomized complete-block design with three replications. Fertilizer N, P, and K did not show significant interactions for any parameter. Across years, added K did not influence grain yield and yield components. However, P increased yield by 14%, and N affected yield in a quadratic manner. The application of 40, 80, and 120 kg N ha −1 resulted in yield increases of 47%, 60% and 69% over farmers' practice (0 kg N ha −1 ), respectively. Economic analysis revealed that two N and P combinations, i.e., 40:0 and 40:17.2 kg ha −1 , were economically superior and stable within a price variability range of 20%. Thus, farmers in the Guinea savanna agro-ecology in Africa can get better returns on the money invested in fertilizer for producing improved sorghum than with their traditional practice of no fertilizer input.

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Nutrient depletion by food crops in Ghana and soil organic nitrogen management

Cited by 25 publications

References 3 publications

Beyond Copenhagen: mitigating climate change and achieving food security through soil carbon sequestration

Beyond Copenhagen: mitigating climate change and achieving food security through soil carbon sequestration

Enhancing crop yields in the developing countries through restoration of the soil organic carbon pool in agricultural lands

Grain Sorghum Response to NPK Fertilizer in the Guinea Savanna of Ghana

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