Nutrient management through organics, bio-fertilizers and crop residues improves growth, yield and quality of sacred basil (Ocimum sanctum Linn).

West African land use systems have been experiencing one of the fastest transformations in the world over recent decades. The Sudanian savanna is an interesting example, as it hosts the cultivation of some crops typical of the Guinean savanna as well as some of the Sahel. Therefore, this region is likely to experience further changes in its crop portfolio over the next decades due to crop migration processes responding to environmental change. Simulation approaches can guide the development of agricultural production strategies that contribute to sustainably optimize both food and fuel production. This study used crop models already available in the APSIM platform to simulate plant production and the soil water and nutrient cycles of plots cultivated with groundnut, millet, sorghum, maize, and rice on three (two upland and one lowland) soil fertility classes and subjected to five levels of management (conventional tillage without residue incorporated to the soil and nor fertilizer application; conventional tillage without residue incorporated to the soil and 5 kg N ha−1; conventional tillage with residue incorporated to the soil 20 kg N ha−1, and no-till herbicide treated with 50 and 100 kg N ha−1). Simulation outputs were contrasted against data reported in the literature and converted into nutritional, fuel and feed yields based on the qualities and uses of their different plant comparments. Groundnut yields outperformed all of the cereals across most growing conditions, nutritional and feed indicators. Maize and rice provided the highest caloric yields, with the least fertile growing conditions. Sorghum provided average to high caloric and iron yields across all of the treatments. Millet provided the highest iron yields and high fuel yields across most treatments. Some simulated treatments could not be compared against literature review data because of their absence in actual cropping systems and the lack of experimental data. Plant production was simulated with higher accuracy than the other components of the simulation. In particular, there is a need to better parameterize and validate the rice, groundnut and millet models under Sudanian savanna conditions in order to perform more accurate comparative assessments among species.

Simulating the Capacity of Rainfed Food Crop Species to Meet Social Demands in Sudanian Savanna Agro-Ecologies

This study was initiated to investigate the effect of intercropped soybean biomass incorporation on sugar yield at Metahara Sugar Estate. The treatment consisted of combined application of four P rates and three levels of inoculation and was laid out in randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Results showed that incorporation soybean biomass treated with P and Bradyrhizobium increased the OM and available P. Sole sugarcane produced higher millable stalk when compared than sugarcane planted in intercropping. However, sole sugarcane produced inferior stalk diameter and juice purity. It was also found that significantly higher cane and sugar yields were recorded in plots amended with soybean biomass and sole sugarcane cultivation. Intercropping improved land equivalent ratio and net return compared with the sole cropping of soybean/sugarcane. Hence, these results recommend that soybean-sugarcane intercropping and the need of inoculation and P application to increase the profitability of the suggested cropping system.

https://www.longdom.org/open-access/incorporation-of-soybean-biomass-that-was-treated-by-bradyrhizobium-and-phosphorus-in-soil-improved-sugarcane-yield-and-.pdf

Incorporation of Soybean Biomass that was treated by Bradyrhizobium and Phosphorus in Soil Improved Sugarcane Yield and Juice Attributes under Intercropping System

Hence, use of organic manures is now gaining momentum, but incorporation of organic manures requires bulk quantities which may not be much affordable by small and marginal farmers. In this context, crop residues of previous grown legumes can be used to overcome the problem of soil fertility. Incorporation of crop residues alters the soil environment, which in turn influences microbial population and activity in soil and subsequent nutrient transformations (Yadvinder-Singh et al., 2005). Proper management and utilisation of crop residues can be important factor in achieving the increased food production and enhanced soil fertility. Legumes are well known to fix up atmospheric nitrogen to enhance soil fertility while leaving some nitrogen in their residues which can be used by subsequent crops.

Legume Crop Residue Management on Productivity of Succeeding Maize - An Overview

A field experiment was conducted at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University teaching and research farm Bauchi (10 o 22' N and 9 o 47'E) and also at Bulkachuwa village of Katagum LGA. (11 o 38'N and 10 o 31'E) both in Bauchi state, during the rainy seasons of 2011 and 2012 to determine the influence of legume residue and nitrogen fertilizer on the growth and yield of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). The treatments consist of two legumes (cowpea and soybean), nitrogen fertilizer applied at the rate of 0, 15, 30 and 60kgN/ha, both used to determine the performance of a Sorghum (variety; KSV 8). The legumes were sown in the first year while using the same site/plots, sorghum was then sown in the second year. The experiment was laid out in both years using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times. No data were collected on the legumes in the first year while data collected on sorghum in the second year included; plant height, number of leaves, 1000 grain weight and grain yield (kg/ha). The results of the experiment revealed that, growing sorghum on cowpea and soybean residue had significant (P≤0.05) effect on all the characters measured than on fallow. The results further revealed that, application of nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of 60kgN/ha gave significantly (P≤0.01) higher effects on all the characters studied than when the other rates were used. Control plots on the other hand recorded the least. It was also observed that, siting the experiment at Bauchi significantly (P≤0.05) produced higher yield than when the experiment was carried out at Bulkachuwa. Studies on interaction revealed that, irrespective of the location used, application of 60kgN/ha following cowpea and soybean in rotation significantly (P≤0.01) increased yield of sorghum. Based on the results obtained, application of 60kgN/ha as top dress to sorghum grown on cowpea or soybean residue should be adopted by farmers in and around Bauchi state for higher yield. Key words : Legume, Residue, Nitrogen, Sorghum, Yield abusafiyyabkc@yahoo.com

/pdf/influence-of-legume-residue-and-nitrogen-fertilizer-on-the-1c7qrw1vjr.pdf

YM Shuaibu

Papers

Influence of legume residue and nitrogen fertilizer on the growth and yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in Bauchi state, Nigeria.