Effect of Triple Superphosphate and Minjingu Phosphate Rock Fertilizer application on Nutrient Content and Grain Yields of Sorghum in Various Cropping Systems

Select Volume / Issue:

• Volume 1,Issue 6, Nov. 2014

Year:

2014

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

Chickpea, Minjingu Phosphate Rock, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, White Lupin

Authors:

Tunya, Beldina A.; Lelei, Joyce J.; Ouma, Josephine P.; Onwonga, Richard N.; Ombui, Paul N.

Journal:

IJRAS

Volume:

1

Number:

6

Pages:

392-398

Month:

November

Note:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Abstract:

Field experiments were conducted at the Egerton University agricultural field, Kenya to determine effect of phosphorus fertilizer application and integration of legumes on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (N) content and grain yield of sorghum. The experiments, conducted in the short (SRS) and long rain seasons (LRS) of 2012 and LRS of 2013 comprised either lupin or chickpea as test crops. The set up was a split plot arranged in a randomized complete block design. The main plots were cropping systems; sorghum monocrop, legume- sorghum rotation and legume/ sorghum intercrop. The subplots comprised P sources (60 kg P ha-1); triple super phosphate (TSP) and minjingu phosphate rock (MPR). P and N concentrations in the plant tissues were significantly higher with addition of TSP than MPR in the first season (LRS 2012). However, in the SRS 2012, nutrient concentrations in plant tissues with MPR application approached that of TSP and exceeded it the LRS 2013. Comparison of the two legumes with MPR application showed that both were competitive in enhancing plant N and P and sorghum yields. Furthermore, in the subsequent seasons, decomposition of incorporated legume residue led to release of nutrients, P and N for uptake by sorghum. Since MPR is cheaper than TSP, growing lupin or chickpea in intercropping system with sorghum with application of MPR is recommended. Intercropping offers farmers the opportunity to exploit nature’s principle of diversity on their farms and greatly contributes to crop production by its effective utilization of resources.

Full text: IJRAS_161_Final.pdf [Bibtex]