Browsing by Author "Abaidoo, RC"

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    Fertilizer micro-dosing increases crop yield in the Sahelian low-input cropping system: A success with a shadow
    (Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 2016) Ibrahim, Ali; Abaidoo, RC; Fatondji, Dougbedji; Opoku, Andrews
    Over the years, a scarcity of information on nutrient gains or losses has led to overemphasis being placed on crop yields and economic income as the direct benefits from fertilizer micro-dosing technology. There is increasing concern about the sustainability of this technology in smallholder Sahelian cropping systems. This study was designed in the 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons to establish nutrient balances under fertilizer micro-dosing technology and their implications on soil nutrient stocks. Two fertilizer micro-dosing treatments [2 g hill−1 of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and 6 g hill−1 of compound fertilizer Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (NPK) (15-15-15)] and three rates of manure (100 g hill−1, 200 g hill−1 and 300 g hill−1) and the relevant control treatments were arranged in a factorial experiment organized in a randomized complete block design with three replications. On average, millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) grain yield increased by 39 and 72% for the plots that received the fertilizer micro-dosing of 6 g NPK hill−1 and 2 g DAP hill−1, respectively, in comparison with the unfertilized control plots. The average partial nutrients balances for the two cropping seasons were −37 kg N ha−1yr−1, −1 kg P ha−1yr−1 and −34 kg K ha−1yr−1 in plots that received the application of 2 g DAP hill−1, and −31 kg N ha−1yr−1, −1 kg P ha−1yr−1 and −27 kg K ha−1yr−1 for 6 g NPK hill−1. The transfer of straw yields accounted for 66% N, 55% P and 89% K for removal. The average full nutrient balances for the two cropping seasons in fertilizer microdosing treatments were −47.8 kg N ha−1 yr−1, −6.8 kg P ha−1 yr−1 and −21.3 kg K ha−1 yr−1 which represent 7.8, 24.1 and 9.4% of N, P and K stocks, respectively. The nutrient stock to balance ratio (NSB) for N decreased from 13 to 11 and from 15 to 12 for the plots that received the application of 2 g DAP hill−1 and 6 g NPK hill−1, respectively. The average NSB for P did not exceed 5 for the same plots. It was concluded that fertilizer micro-dosing increases the risk of soil nutrient depletion in the Sahelian low-input cropping system. These results have important implications for developing an agro-ecological approach to addressing sustainable food production in the Sahelian smallholder cropping system.
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    Genetic variation and genotype × environment interaction in yams (Dioscorea spp.) for root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhiza
    (Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, 2008) Dare, M. Olajire; Abaidoo, RC; Fagbola, Olajire; Asiedu, Robert
    Root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) enhances nutrient acquisition by plants and could benefit the production of yam (Dioscorea spp.). The variation in AM colonization in yam genotypes was evaluated in two experiments at four locations (Ibadan, Onne, Abuja and Ubiaja) in different agroecologies of Nigeria in 2004 and 2005. Twenty-seven genotypes of D. rotundata and 28 of D. alata were investigated in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonized all yam genotypes. Root length colonization ranged from 24 to 95% in D. rotundata and from 21 to 95% in D. alata. Colonization was observed to be high in locations with lower soil available P but was not precluded by relatively high soil acidity. Highly significant (P< 0.001) effects were observed in D. rotundata for genotype and location, as well as genotype × location, location × year and in D. alata for genotype, location and year. The location × genotype × year interaction was significant (P < 0.05) in both experiments. The broad sense heritability estimates for AM colonization were 0.60 in D. rotundata and 0.87 in D. alata. Further analysis of genotype × environment interactions using a GGE biplot for the two-year data showed that the most stable genotypes for AM colonization across locations were TDr 93-32 (D. rotundata) and TDa 98/01183 (D. alata). The highest percentage AM colonization mean were found in TDr 93-32 (D. rotundata) and TDa 01/00204 in (D. alata). Generally, the highest mean colonization values were obtained at Abuja and Ubiaja. The results of this study reveal that AM colonization in yam is host-dependent and influenced by the environment