Nutrient release dynamics from decomposing organic materials and their mulching-effect on pearl millet yields in a low-input Sahelian cropping system
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Date
2018
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Springer
Abstract
Organic material inputs for increased crop
yields are insufficient in the Sahelian West Africa.
There is a need for diversifying organic amendment
sources for improved nutrient supply in low-input
cropping system. The 2-year study aimed to (1)
explore the rates of mass losses and nutrient release
dynamics from Acacia tumida prunings (AT) and
millet straw (MS) under field conditions, (2) assess
termite’s contribution to the decomposition of AT and
MS, and (3) ascertain the mulching-effect of these
organic materials on pearl millet yields. The study was
conducted in Niger using field experiment and
litterbag methodology and the data modelled using
single exponential decay equations. Under field con ditions, mulching with AT and MS increased millet
grain yield by 35 and 33%, respectively compared to
control. The harvest index (HI) in 2014 increased by
21% compared to that obtained in 2013 with the
highest HI being recorded for the AT mulched
treatment. The results from litterbag experiment
indicated a greater dry mass losses from MS decom position in 2013 whereas relatively higher mass losses
were recorded from AT decomposition in 2014. The
differences in mass losses among the organic materials
could be related to the interaction of soil moisture
dynamics and termites’ population which are posi tively correlated with mass losses. The contribution of
termites to the decomposition was estimated to be 36%
for MS and 8% for AT. In 2013, at 126 days after
litterbags placement, the amounts of N, P, and K
released from MS were 16, 1, and 25 kg ha-1 of initial
nutrient applied, respectively compared with the 22, 1,
and 23 kg ha-1 recorded from AT treatment. During
the same period in 2014, the total amounts of N, P and
K released from MS were 15, 0.6, and 29 kg ha-1
,
respectively compared to the 32 kg ha-1 of N,
1 kg ha-1 of P, and 29 kg ha-1 of K released from
the AT treatment. The intrinsic organic material
quality could explain markedly the variation in
nutrient released among the organic material. These
results indicate that Acacia tumida prunings have a
potential to provide nutrient through mineralization
for enhanced crop yield in the Sahel
Description
This article is Published by Springer, 2017 and is also available at 10.1007/s10705-018-9928-4
Keywords
Citation
Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst, 2018