Agronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya

A major constraint to crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa is nutrient deficiency, especially phosphorus (P) deficiency. Phosphorus plays a crucial role in photosynthesis but is usually deficient in acidic soils since it is converted to less available forms, affecting crop yields. There is a need t...

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Autores principales:	E.M. Ndeleko-Barasa, M.W. Mucheru-Muna, K.F. Ngetich
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Elsevier 2021
Materias:	Cost-benefit analysis Maize yields Tithonia diversifolia Phosphorus-sorption Animal manure Science (General) Q1-390 Social sciences (General) H1-99
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/a163960e58d2468987fac4df5a913a64
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:a163960e58d2468987fac4df5a913a642021-12-02T05:02:41ZAgronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya2405-844010.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08332https://doaj.org/article/a163960e58d2468987fac4df5a913a642021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402102435Xhttps://doaj.org/toc/2405-8440A major constraint to crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa is nutrient deficiency, especially phosphorus (P) deficiency. Phosphorus plays a crucial role in photosynthesis but is usually deficient in acidic soils since it is converted to less available forms, affecting crop yields. There is a need to improve phosphorus availability to crops for maximum production. This study assessed Minjingu phosphate rock fertilizer's impact on maize yields, soil chemical composition, and cost-effectiveness in acidic humic nitisols of Tharaka Nithi County, Upper Eastern Kenya. A field experiment in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) was set during long rains (SR2017) and Short rains (LR2018) seasons. The treatments were Minjingu phosphate rock, manure, Tithonia diversifolia, Minjingu phosphate rock + manure, Tithonia diversifolia + Minjingu phosphate rock, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) + Triple Superphosphate (TSP), and a control. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–20 cm before and at the end of the experiment for pH, P-sorption, and other soil nutrient determinations. Other auxiliary data collected included labor and input costs besides output prices. The CAN+TSP treatment had significantly higher grain yields (6.86 Mg ha-1), while Minjingu phosphate rock on its own had the second-lowest than the control treatment (3.0 Mg ha-1). Also, a similar trend in the stover yields was observed. Minjingu phosphate rock combined with either manure or Tithonia diversifolia led to a significant increase (over 100%) in the phosphorous levels. Sole application of Minjingu phosphate rock increased soil iron levels while magnesium, copper, and zinc levels decreased significantly. Other than the control, all treatments significantly lowered the P-sorption levels. However, CAN+TSP had the highest P-sorption (913 mg kg−1)while Tithonia diversifolia had the lowest (744 mg kg−1). During the LR2018 season, all treatments reached a break-even point, and the net benefit was significantly higher at P < 0.05. Conclusively, the use of phosphate rock, either solely or in combination with organic elements, improved yields, soil chemical composition, P-sorption and was very cost-effective.E.M. Ndeleko-BarasaM.W. Mucheru-MunaK.F. NgetichElsevierarticleCost-benefit analysisMaize yieldsTithonia diversifoliaPhosphorus-sorptionAnimal manureScience (General)Q1-390Social sciences (General)H1-99ENHeliyon, Vol 7, Iss 11, Pp e08332- (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Cost-benefit analysis Maize yields Tithonia diversifolia Phosphorus-sorption Animal manure Science (General) Q1-390 Social sciences (General) H1-99
spellingShingle	Cost-benefit analysis Maize yields Tithonia diversifolia Phosphorus-sorption Animal manure Science (General) Q1-390 Social sciences (General) H1-99 E.M. Ndeleko-Barasa M.W. Mucheru-Muna K.F. Ngetich Agronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya
description	A major constraint to crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa is nutrient deficiency, especially phosphorus (P) deficiency. Phosphorus plays a crucial role in photosynthesis but is usually deficient in acidic soils since it is converted to less available forms, affecting crop yields. There is a need to improve phosphorus availability to crops for maximum production. This study assessed Minjingu phosphate rock fertilizer's impact on maize yields, soil chemical composition, and cost-effectiveness in acidic humic nitisols of Tharaka Nithi County, Upper Eastern Kenya. A field experiment in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) was set during long rains (SR2017) and Short rains (LR2018) seasons. The treatments were Minjingu phosphate rock, manure, Tithonia diversifolia, Minjingu phosphate rock + manure, Tithonia diversifolia + Minjingu phosphate rock, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) + Triple Superphosphate (TSP), and a control. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–20 cm before and at the end of the experiment for pH, P-sorption, and other soil nutrient determinations. Other auxiliary data collected included labor and input costs besides output prices. The CAN+TSP treatment had significantly higher grain yields (6.86 Mg ha-1), while Minjingu phosphate rock on its own had the second-lowest than the control treatment (3.0 Mg ha-1). Also, a similar trend in the stover yields was observed. Minjingu phosphate rock combined with either manure or Tithonia diversifolia led to a significant increase (over 100%) in the phosphorous levels. Sole application of Minjingu phosphate rock increased soil iron levels while magnesium, copper, and zinc levels decreased significantly. Other than the control, all treatments significantly lowered the P-sorption levels. However, CAN+TSP had the highest P-sorption (913 mg kg−1)while Tithonia diversifolia had the lowest (744 mg kg−1). During the LR2018 season, all treatments reached a break-even point, and the net benefit was significantly higher at P < 0.05. Conclusively, the use of phosphate rock, either solely or in combination with organic elements, improved yields, soil chemical composition, P-sorption and was very cost-effective.
format	article
author	E.M. Ndeleko-Barasa M.W. Mucheru-Muna K.F. Ngetich
author_facet	E.M. Ndeleko-Barasa M.W. Mucheru-Muna K.F. Ngetich
author_sort	E.M. Ndeleko-Barasa
title	Agronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya
title_short	Agronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya
title_full	Agronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya
title_fullStr	Agronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya
title_full_unstemmed	Agronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya
title_sort	agronomic and financial benefits of direct minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of upper eastern kenya
publisher	Elsevier
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/a163960e58d2468987fac4df5a913a64
work_keys_str_mv	AT emndelekobarasa agronomicandfinancialbenefitsofdirectminjinguphosphaterockuseinacidichumicnitisolsofuppereasternkenya AT mwmucherumuna agronomicandfinancialbenefitsofdirectminjinguphosphaterockuseinacidichumicnitisolsofuppereasternkenya AT kfngetich agronomicandfinancialbenefitsofdirectminjinguphosphaterockuseinacidichumicnitisolsofuppereasternkenya
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Agronomic and financial benefits of direct Minjingu phosphate rock use in acidic humic nitisols of Upper Eastern Kenya

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