Researcher's Publications

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Browsing Researcher's Publications by Subject "Acrisols"

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    Effects of N and K fertilization of sugarcane (Saccharum oficinarum) on acrisols in western Kenya
    (Elixir Agriculture, 2014-02-11) Mutonyi, Jonathan; Shibairo Solomon I.; Chemining’wa, G.N.; Olubayo, F.O.; Nyongesa, H.W.; Konje, M. M.
    Sugarcane fertilization in Kenyan plantations is largely concentrated on Nitrogen and Phosphorus. Use of Potassium, secondary nutrients and micronutrients is altogether missing. Recent soil analysis results indicate that soils in the Mumias Sugar zone of western Kenya that accounts for 50-60 % of national production are K- deficient. In examining the quality factor in sugarcane payment systems as envisaged in recent legislation, adoption of balanced nutrition by inclusion of K would help improve sugar cane productivity and enhance sugar recovery. This paper reports the effect of K, N and their interaction on sugarcane yield and juice quality on acrisols. Four experiments were established in several locations from 2009- 2011. The treatments included a factorial combination of four rates of K at 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg/ha K2O and four rates of N at 0, 46, 92 and 138 kg/ha N. Recommended basal phosphate was included in every plot at 92 kg/ha P2O5. Each experiment was harvested after 18 months of growth. Results showed significant responses to K and N. Agronomic efficiency was higher in plots supplied with K along with N. Nitrogen and K2O application rates that produced optimum cane yields were: N = 46kg/ha and K2O = 60 kg/ha; however, economically profitable rates were N = 46-92 kg/ha and K2O at 60 kg/ha. Productivity gains did not offset costs when rates were higher than 120 kg/ha of K2O and 138 kg/ha of N. The results imply that the inclusion of K in the sugar cane fertilization regime at Mumias will be beneficial. An initial rate of 60kg/ha K2O (2 bags of 50 kg muriate of potash is recommended on soils with K-deficiency. There were strong indications that with K fertilization the current N recommendation of 120 – 150 kg N/ha could be reduced to only 78-92 kg/ha due to better N utilization from the interaction with K.
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    Interaction between Biochar Sources and Phosphorus Rates on Maize Growth and Yields in Acrisols and Ferralsols of Bungoma County, Western Kenya
    (International Journal of Plant & Soil Science, 2025-06-25) Majengo, Collins Otieno; Muyekho N. Francis; Kundu A. Caroline; Mutonyi Jonathan
    Large proportion of phosphate fertilizer applied to acrisols and ferralsols soils reacts with aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) to become unavailable for plant uptake. Biochar has been proposed to increase the bioavailability of phosphorus and other nutrients in the soil. The study aimed to increase maize production in low phosphorus (P) soils by evaluating the availability of phosphorus (P) in soils amended with different sources of biochar mixed with different rates of phosphorus in Acrisols and Ferralsols. Biochars were produced from three sources of feedstock: sugarcane bagasse (SB) from Butali sugar factory, wood sawdust (WS) from sawmills within Kakamega town and coffee husk (CH) from Kimukung’i coffee factory in Bungoma county. The feedstocks were pyrolysed using fabricated kilns at Kalro Kakamega. The agronomic evaluation of the fertilizers was carried out in two successive seasons of long rains and short rains of 2023 on maize crops Zea mays l.) In Kibabii site (Acrisols) and Chwele site (Ferralsols) field experiment using a split plot design with three replications. Biochar sources formed the main plots and the subplots were assigned phosphorus (P) rates. The treatments consisted of three sources of biochar (wood sawdust (WS), sugarcane bagasse (SB), coffee husk (CH) and three fertilizer use recommendation project (FURP) phosphorus (P) rates (0, 13, and 26 kg P/ha) on two soil types (Acrisols and Ferralsols). Treatments were applied simultaneously in plots measuring 2.5 m x 4.5 m in all the sites. Maize hybrid 513 at seed rate of 125 kg /ha was planted at a spacing of 75 cm x 25 cm giving a maize population of 53,333 per hectare. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied at the rate of 75kg/ha-1 Nitrogen in two split applications of 35 kg/ha-1 Nitrogen at planting and 40 kg/ha-1 Nitrogen as topdressing at mid vegetative stage per season. Phosphorus rates and biochar sources interactions on maize grain yields were significant differences (P≤0.05). Maize stover and grain yields in Kibabii and Chwele was significantly high under a combination of coffee husks biochar with 26 kg/ha-1 phosphorus treatment. The study concludes that the interaction of biochar sources and phosphorus (P) rates was highly significant in Ferralsols soils and not significant in Acrisols soils. This may be due to chelation of sesquioxides in ferralsols which enhances fixed phosphorus release thereby leading to improved crop development