Zai pits for heightened sorghum production in drier parts of Upper Eastern Kenya

Abstract

Water harvesting technologies and soil conservation measures promote water-nutrient synergy and increase agricultural production in the dryland zones of sub-Saharan Africa. To alleviate water stress, soil fertility decline and reduce runoff, soil and water conservation measures are promising options whose impact on agricultural productivity has not been fully explored. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of using zai pits in combination with selected soil fertility ammendments. An experiment was conducted in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya to assess effects of using Zai pits in combination with selected amendments on sorghum production. The experiment was set up in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) involving 12 soil and water conservation treatments with three replications per block. Experimental data were subjected to analysis of variance and mean separation done using least significant difference (LSD) at p < 0.05. Zai pit in combination with tithonia amendment had the highest yields of 4.30 Mg ha −1 during short rains season of 2013 while Zai pit in combination with cattle manure had the highest yield of 4.18 Mg ha −1 during short rains season of 2014. Conventional planting with full rate NPK had the highest benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 3.58 while Zai pit without input had the least BCR of 0.99. The experiment showed that Zai pit technology contributed to increments of yields in comparison to conventional planting although its BCR was lower than conventional planting with similar amendments. However, both Zai pit and conventional practices should be used in combination with organic and inorganic amendments to enhance yields in sorghum production.

Rainwater harvesting and Leucaena leucocephala biomass rates effects on soil moisture, water use efficiency and Sorghum bicolor [(L.) Moench] productivity in a semi‐arid area in Zimbabwe

“…This is because SV1 variety responds better at high nutrient sources and has the capacity to produce higher yields in clay and other soils than sandy loam soils found in semi-arid areas. This corroborates with findings by Kebede et al and Kimaru-Muchai et al 23,41 who reported high sorghum grain yield after applying Leucaena biomass in clay loam soils. Low rainfall and poor soils in semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe have been contributing to low sorghum grain and stover yields.…”

“…This corroborates with findings by Kebede et al . and Kimaru‐Muchai et al 23,41 . who reported high sorghum grain yield after applying Leucaena biomass in clay loam soils.…”

Augmenting Leucaena leucocephala biomass with mineral fertiliser on rainwater use efficiency, agronomic efficiency and yields on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [(L.) Moench]) under rainwater harvesting techniques in semi-arid region of Zimbabwe

“…Same superscripts in same column denotes no significant different between treatments at p 0.05. 2020; Kimaru-Muchai et al, 2021;Mamuye et al, 2021). Augmenting Leucaena biomass with NPK fertiliser has shown the potential in improving soil fertility.…”

“…Sorghum stover yields were significantly affected by RWH techniques. This could have been caused by synergic effects of available soil moisture from tied contours and improved nutrient availability (Nyamadzawo et al, 2015;Nyagumbo et al, 2019;Kimaru-Muchai et al, 2021). Stover yield were improved with increasing integrated nutrient management (INM) levels.…”

Socio-economic Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Chololo Pits Technology in Semi-Arid Dodoma: The Case of Chamwino District, Tanzania

“…The increased likelihood of sustainable crop production through chololo pits when farmers belonged to a group suggests that the groups were sources of information on water and soil conservation (Kimaru-Muchai et al, 2021).…”