Variations in yield response to fertilizer application in the tropics: II. Risks and opportunities for smallholders cultivating maize on Kenya's arable land

Rötter, Reimund P.; Keulen, H. van

doi:10.1016/s0308-521x(96)00037-6

Cited by 44 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Maize grain yields and prices were the most important drivers contributing to profitabilityas found in previous studies in Eastern Africa (e.g. Rötter and Van Keulen, 1997). In a metaanalysis done by Rusinamhodzi et al (2011), a strong correlation was found between maize yield in dryland agricultural and rainfall, and the variability in yield was better explained by total rainfall and rainfall distribution, rather than the specific CA treatments.…”

Section: Profitabilitymentioning

confidence: 55%

“…To determine the relative profitability of the different systems, gross margins (total income minus total variable costs) were calculated and standardized to South African Rand per hectare (R ha -1 ). To allow for the effect of yearly To simplify the profitability analysis we followed Rötter and Van Keulen (1997) and only used actual, direct costs and expenses that directly related to the specific farming systems. We omitted general expenses, such as land rental, investments or maintenance, which will add to farming cost, but would not be affected by the type of farming practiced.…”

Section: Profitability Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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The benefits of conservation agriculture on soil organic carbon and yield in southern Africa are site-specific

Swanepoel

Rötter

Laan

et al. 2018

Soil and Tillage Research

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Conservation agriculture (CA), with reduced tillage, permanent soil cover and diversified cropping systems, is advocated in southern Africa to improve soil quality, reduce input costs and mitigate climate-induced risks. However, improvements in terms of yield and soil organic carbon (SOC) under CA are slow and variable and many small-scale farmers are unable to buffer themselves against potential short-term financial losses. In this study we examined the effects of CA-related management practices on SOC sequestration and productivity at two medium-term sites on a sandy soil (eight year trial) and clay soil (six years) in maize producing areas of South Africa. Using field data, current input costs and market prices for crops, we calculated the gross margin for each system. Treatments compared conventional ploughing under maize monoculture with reduced tillage, intercropping and crop rotation. On the clay soil, SOC was increased under reduced tillage (57.6 t C ha-1) compared to conventional tillage (54.9 t C ha-1) while there was no difference for the sandy soil (19.7 t C ha-1 average across treatments). Profitability was most strongly influenced by seasonal rainfall, but was higher on the sandy soil than the clay soil, with an average gross margin of R11,344 ha-1 and R5,686 ha-1 , respectively. This study has demonstrated that while certain CA practices can create sitespecific benefits for farmers, it is highly dependent on local weather and soil conditions. For the clay soil an additional payment scheme would be required to reward farmers in southern Africa for C-sequestration to make CA profitable and achieve increased C-mitigation through soil sequestration.

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Section: Profitabilitymentioning

confidence: 55%

Section: Profitability Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

The benefits of conservation agriculture on soil organic carbon and yield in southern Africa are site-specific

Swanepoel

Rötter

Laan

et al. 2018

Soil and Tillage Research

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“…These authors found that the yield increase with N late-application depended on the native soil N supply, previous soil N uptake, plant developmental stage, and yield potential. In addition, Rötter and Van Keulen [38] reported that the response of different maize genotypes (short, medium, long durations) to fertilization varied according to different rainfall regimes in eight study zones. Yield distributions for the eight sites depended on normal, unfavorable and favorable years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Defining Fertilization Strategies for Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Production Under Sudano-Sahelian Conditions: Options for Late Basal Fertilizer Application

et al. 2019

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Soil nutrient deficiency and rainfall variability impair the production of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L). Moench) in Sudano-Sahelian zone. The aim is to study the environmental factors that can determine the effect of fertilizer application on sorghum grain yield and to formulate tailored fertilization strategies according to sorghum varieties (hybrid and open pollinated improved varieties) and environmental context. Field experiments were conducted during the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons in Nioro du Rip and in Sinthiou Malème (Senegal). In a randomized complete block design arranged in a split-plot with four replications, three factors were tested: sorghum genotype (G: Fadda, Faourou, Soumalemba and Soumba with different cycle lengths), environment (E: irrigation and rainfed, different soil types and fertility levels), and fertilization management (M: five different combinations of application dose and application time) including T1 = no fertilizer applied; T2 (recommended practice, 100%) = 150 kg/ha of NPK (15-15-15) at emergence + 50 Kg/ha of urea (46%) at tillering + 50 kg/ha of urea at stem extension; T3 = 50% T2; T4 (100% delay) = 150 kg/ha of NPK +50 kg/ha of urea at stem extension +50 kg/ha of urea at heading ; T5 = 50% T4. Results showed that: (i) in most environments, stressed plants under late application treatments (T4 and T5) recovered biomass once the fertilizer was applied (ii); grain yield with T5 was higher than with T4 under well-watered conditions (sufficient and well distributed rainfall and eventual complementary irrigations) ; (iii) Fadda, a hybrid, responded differently to fertilization than the other varieties only for biomass production, (iv) late fertilizer application treatment (T4) gave higher grain yield than the recommended practice (T2) in the environment with low yield potential, and (v) long cycle duration genotypes benefited better from late fertilization compared to short cycle duration genotypes. This study showed that under Sudano-Sahelian conditions late fertilization of sorghum can be beneficial to grain yield if the rainy season has a slow start, depending on sorghum genotypes (i.e., cycle length), and on the initial N content of the soil.

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“…Another is dealing with the interactions between several mineral nutrients, often thought to be major yield constraints [14]; and a third is dealing with intercropping, about which few local references are available, as regards either the relationships between the component species or the consequences of such relationships on fertiliser efficiency [11,23,31,36]. Because of either the limited data available about soils and cropping systems, or the shortage of funds available for research, use of a detailed growth crop model such as those of McKinion et al [16], Meynard et al [21], Rötter and Van Keulen [27], Ten Berge et al [35] and Sinclair et al [32] is rarely practicable for predicting the required fertilisation. It seems easier to use simple equations predicting fertiliser requirements in which a limited number of parameters can be estimated from preliminary experiments on a regional scale [14,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Devising fertiliser recommendations for diverse cropping systems in a region: the case of low-input bean/maize intercropping in a tropical highland of Haïti

Clermont-Dauphin¹,

Meynard²,

Cabidoche³

2003

Agronomie

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Variability of the efficiency of N, P, K and Mg fertilisation on a low-input bean/maize intercrop (BMI) was analysed in an upland of Haïti using the combination of a simple equation predicting the fertiliser requirements and an agronomic diagnosis in farmers' fields. The study results in a classification of cropping systems according to factors limiting the fertiliser response of the intercrop species (mainly bean root necrosis and high soil K supply) and in fertilisation rules specifically adapted to the diversity of agronomic conditions. Bean root necrosis due to a parasitic complex with Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli decreased the fertiliser efficiency and was higher wherever the topography of a field was concave and where beans were frequent in the rotation. High soil exchangeable K content was generally found where the preceding crop was cabbage, a cash crop that is given large amounts of N-P-K fertiliser. Additional fertiliser applied to the BMI decreased nodulation of the bean, N and Mg uptake and bean yield. Because of the competition from the associated bean crop, the maize did not respond to fertiliser. low-input system / bean-maize intercropping / fertiliser rules / ferralsols / tropical highland Résumé-Élaboration de règles de fertilisation pour la diversité des systèmes de culture d'une région : le cas d'une association haricot/ maïs à bas intrants dans une région d'altitude d'Haiti. La variabilité de l'efficience d'un engrais complet (N, P, K, Mg) sur une association culturale haricot/maïs à bas niveau d'intrants cultivée dans une petite région d'altitude en Haïti, est analysée en combinant l'utilisation d'une équation simple de calcul de dose d'engrais et un diagnostic en parcelles d'agriculteurs. Une classification des systèmes de culture en fonction des facteurs limitants de la réponse à l'engrais de l'association (principalement les nécroses racinaires du haricot et la richesse du sol en K) permet d'adapter la fertilisation à la diversité des conditions agronomiques de la région. Les nécroses des racines du haricot, dues à un complexe parasitaire dominé par Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli, sont à l'origine d'une faible efficience de l'engrais sur cette espèce ; elles sont importantes sur les sols à topographie concave, et dans les rotations où le haricot revient fréquemment. Une teneur élevée du sol en K échangeable est observée sur les parcelles antérieurement cultivées en chou, culture de vente fortement fertilisée. Sur ces parcelles, l'apport d'engrais à l'association haricot/maïs entraîne une diminution de la nodulation et du rendement du haricot, ainsi que du prélèvement de N et de K par cette culture. À cause de la structure de l'association, la concurrence du haricot empêche toute réponse du maïs aux apports d'engrais. système à bas intrants / association haricot-maïs / fertilisation / sols ferralitiques / zone tropicale d'altitude

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Variations in yield response to fertilizer application in the tropics: II. Risks and opportunities for smallholders cultivating maize on Kenya's arable land

Cited by 44 publications

References 15 publications

The benefits of conservation agriculture on soil organic carbon and yield in southern Africa are site-specific

The benefits of conservation agriculture on soil organic carbon and yield in southern Africa are site-specific

Defining Fertilization Strategies for Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Production Under Sudano-Sahelian Conditions: Options for Late Basal Fertilizer Application

Devising fertiliser recommendations for diverse cropping systems in a region: the case of low-input bean/maize intercropping in a tropical highland of Haïti

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