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Cited by 59Agricultural Science and FertilizationCrop Yield and Soil FertilityPlant Growth and Agriculture Techniques

Strong spatial-temporal patterns in maize yield response to nutrient additions in African smallholder farms

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Njoroge, Samuel, Schut, Antonius G.T., Giller, Ken E., Zingore, Shamie·2017·Field Crops Research
DOI 10.1016/j.fcr.2017.09.026
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Abstract

Large variability in crop responses to macronutrient application at various spatial scales present challenges for developing effective fertilizer recommendations for crop production in smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed maize yield responses to nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) application and evaluated relationships between crop responses to N, P and K application and soil analysis data. Nutrient omission trials were conducted on 23 farms located in Sidindi, Western Kenya, selected to be representative of the main soil and management factors in maize based systems in Siaya County. Treatments included a control and PK, NK, NP and NPK applications. The trials ran for six consecutive cropping seasons, without changing treatments or plot location, covering the period 2013–2015. Strong spatial-temporal patterns in maize yield responses to N, P and K applications were observed. Average maize yields in the control, PK, NK, NP and NPK treatments were 2.8, 3.2, 5.1, 5.1 and 5.5tha−1 at 88% dry matter respectively in the first cropping season, and 1.1, 1.4, 2.9, 3.6 and 5.3tha−1 at 88% dry matter respectively in the sixth cropping season. In all seasons, variability in maize yield between fields was greatest in the control treatment followed by the NK treatment and least in the NPK treatment. Mean relative yield was 0.6, 0.92 and 0.93 for N, P and K respectively, in the first cropping season, and 0.25, 0.52 and 0.68, respectively, in the sixth cropping season. Six main maize yield response categories were identified that differed in the maize grain yield responses to recursive N, P and K applications. Maize yield responses to N, P and K were not fully accounted for by soil organic matter, soil available P and exchangeable K respectively. Our results indicate that current methods for soil analysis do not adequately predict the response to application of N, P and K fertilizer under the highly variable soil fertility conditions encountered in smallholder farming systems. The strong spatial-temporal patterns observed present major challenges for the development of effective site-specific fertilizer recommendations. Potential avenues for future research and options for more effective intensification strategies are discussed.

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Cited by

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Authors
Njoroge, S., Schut, A. G. T., Giller, K. E., & Zingore, S.
Affiliations
  • International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (KE)
  • Wageningen University & Research (NL)
Corresponding author
Njoroge, Samuel
ORCID
Venue
Field Crops Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-12
Volume
214
Pages
321-330
ISSN
0378-4290 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.fcr.2017.09.026
OpenAlex
W2767193681
Cited by
59
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 3
FWCI
6.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Field Crops Research (publishedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
Agrium to the International Plant Nutrition Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Agricultural Science and Fertilization
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Crop Yield and Soil Fertility
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Plant Growth and Agriculture Techniques
Keywords
nitrogen fertilization, phosphorus fertilization, potassium fertilization, spatial variability, temporal variation, smallholder farming, fertilizer recommendation, soil fertility, nutrient omission trials, site-specific nutrient management, sub-Saharan Africa

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