scholarly journals Effects of lime and fertilizer on soil properties and maize yields in acid soils of Western Kenya

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 657-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Opala Peter ◽  
Odendo Martins ◽  
N. Muyekho Francis
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Maize Yields

Phosphorus Adsorption and Its Relation with Soil Properties in Acid Soils of Western Kenya

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Muindi ◽  
J. Mrema ◽  
E. Semu ◽  
P. Mtakwa ◽  
C. Gachene ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Phosphorus Adsorption ◽  
Western Kenya

scholarly journals Evaluating the Effectiveness of Different Rhizobia Strains and Their Effect on Crop Yields in Acid Soils of Western Kenya

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Janet Kemuma Ogega ◽  
Beatrice Ang’iyo Were ◽  
Abigael Otinga Nekesa ◽  
John Robert Okalebo
Keyword(s):  
Soil Amendment ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Positive Control ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Soil System ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Arachis Hypogea ◽  
Maize Yields

Food insecurity in Sub - Saharan Africa (SSA) is on the rise due to soil fertility depletion and in Kenya, Nitrogen (N) is one of the widely deficient nutrients. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) can replenish N into the soil system. A study was carried out in acid soils at Koyonzo and Ligala sites of western Kenya to determine the effectiveness of different inoculants after agricultural lime application in enhancing BNF and yields of groundnuts (Arachis hypogea L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) intercrop. Red Valencia groundnut variety was intercropped with Hybrid 513D maize variety. A6w, W1w and V2w indigenous rhizobia strains were tested alongside a commercial rhizobia strain called biofix. Nitrogen treatment was included as a positive control. The results showed that inoculation significantly increased nodule number and weight per plant. There were significant differences among indigenous rhizobia in fixing N. Rhizobia inoculation accounted for 58.91% and 78.95% increase in the amount of N fixed above the control at Koyonzo and Ligala respectively. The strain that fixed the highest amount of N was A6w followed by V2w and W1w at both sites under the dolomitic soil amendment with the values of 14.67, 9.56, 3.53 and 11.37, 8.20 and 1.50 kg N ha-1, respectively at Koyonzo and Ligala sites. Rhizobia inoculation accounted for 80.96% and 47.09% maize yield increase at Koyonzo and Ligala respectively. The best inoculant A6w, gave maize yields of 3.76 and 2.78 t ha-1 at Koyonzo and Ligala, respectively. In conclusion soil amendment with dolomitic lime and inoculating groundnuts with rhizobia strain A6w resulted in increased groundnut and maize yields. This practice can, therefore, be adopted by farmers in western Kenya to improve the productivity of the groundnut maize intercropping systems.

Leucaena + maize alley cropping in Malawi. Part 1: Effects of N, P, and leaf application on maize yields and soil properties

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Jones ◽  
J. W. Wendt ◽  
W. T. Bunderson ◽  
O. A. Itimu
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Maize Yields

Effects of Ground Rock Phosphate and Elemental S on Yield and P Uptake of Maize in Western Kenya

1981 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Bromfield ◽  
I. R. Hancock ◽  
D. F. Debenham
Keyword(s):  
Rock Phosphate ◽  
P Uptake ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Single Superphosphate ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
The Third ◽  
Maize Yields ◽  
P Recovery ◽  
Effect On Yield

SUMMARYThe effect on maize yields of ground rock phosphate, alone or mixed with sulphur in either of two proportions, and of single-superphosphate, was measured at five consecutive harvests. At the first harvest single-superphosphate increased yield by 1.54 t and the best of the mixtures by 0.56 t grain/ha. Ground rock phosphate alone had no effect on yield. At the third harvest there were no yield differences between sources; because yields produced by rock phosphate and the mixtures improved. The cumulative increase in yield produced by single-superphosphate was 3.58 t/ha and by rock phosphate 2.69 t grain/ha, but because the fertilizer cost ratio was 3:1, additional grain produced by rock phosphate cost half as much. The apparent P recovery ranged from 5.40 to 8.28 kg/ha, with most from single-superphosphate and least from the mixture containing most elemental-S.

Retention and nitrification of injected anhydrous NH3as affected by soil pH

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mônica B. Benke ◽  
Tee Boon Goh ◽  
Rigas Karamanos ◽  
Newton Z. Lupwayi ◽  
Xiying Hao
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Alkaline Soils ◽  
Canadian Prairie ◽  
Agronomic Efficiency ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Prairie Soils

Benke, M. B., Goh, T. B., Karamanos, R., Lupwayi, N. Z. and Hao, X. 2012. Retention and nitrification of injected anhydrous NH3as affected by soil pH. Can. J. Soil Sci. 92: 589–598. Anhydrous ammonia is an economical and extensively used fertilizer, yet loss after injection can reduce its agronomic efficiency. A laboratory experiment was conducted to examine how soil properties affect ammonia retention and nitrification following anhydrous NH3injection using 10 different Canadian prairie soils. Soils were also injected with atmospheric air for comparison. Following injection, soils were incubated for up to 216 h at field capacity. Among the soil properties studied [pH (1:2 water), clay, total N, and organic C contents], only pH was negatively related (R2=0.55, n=10, 24 h incubation) to percentage injected N retained by soil. The amount of N retained by soil 24 h following injection was 92±2% (mean±SEM) when pH <6, compared with 64±2% when pH>7.5. Rate of nitrification increased (P<0.001) about 48–96 h following injection and was greater in pH>7.5 than pH<6 soils. There was no difference (P>0.05) in bacterial diversity between ammonia- and air-injected soils. The slower nitrification rates suggest that potential leaching and denitrification losses in acid soils could be smaller than in alkaline soils.

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