The functioning of trees as a safety-net for capturing nutrients leached beyond the reach of crop roots was evaluated by investigating changes in exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, and K) and pH in a wide range of medium to long term alley cropping trials in the derived savanna of West Africa, compare...
Vanlauwe, Bernard
,
Aihou, K.
,
Tossah, B.K.
,
Diels, J.
,
Sanginga, Nteranya
,
Merckx, R.
,
[Senna siamea trees recycle Ca from a Ca-rich subsoil and increase the topsoil pH in agroforestry systems in the West African derived savanna zone]
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Senna siamea trees recycle Ca from a Ca-rich subsoil and increase the topsoil pH in agroforestry systems in the West African derived savanna zone
Soil fertility decline is a major constraint to bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and maize (Zea mays) production in the Central Highlands of Burundi. Nutrient sources, specifically fertilizers, are paramount to increasing the production in the regions. Hence, improving fertilizer use efficiency is co...
Niyuhire, M.C.
,
Pypers, Pieter
,
Vanlauwe, Bernard
,
Nziguheba, Generose
,
Roobroeck, D.
,
Merckx, R.
,
[Profitability of diammonium phosphate use in bush and climbing bean-maize rotations in smallholder farms of Central Burundi]
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Profitability of diammonium phosphate use in bush and climbing bean-maize rotations in smallholder farms of Central Burundi
Harvesting young cassava leaves as a vegetable is a common practice in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). However, information on its effects on growth and yield of cassava is scarce. Multi-locational trials were conducted on farmers’ fields in the province of South Kivu, DR Congo, duri...
Munyahali, W.
,
Pypers, Pieter
,
Swennen, R.L.
,
Walangululu, J.
,
Vanlauwe, Bernard
,
Merckx, R.
,
[Responses of cassava growth and yield to leaf harvesting frequency and NPK fertilizer in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo]
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Responses of cassava growth and yield to leaf harvesting frequency and NPK fertilizer in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
Nziguheba, Generose
,
Tossah, B.K.
,
Diels, J.
,
Franke, A.C.
,
Aihou, K.
,
Iwuafor, E.N.O.
,
Nwoke, C
,
Merckx, R.
,
[Assessment of nutrient deficiencies in maize in nutrient omission trials and long-term field experiments in the West African Savanna]
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Assessment of nutrient deficiencies in maize in nutrient omission trials and long-term field experiments in the West African Savanna
Root characteristics associated with phosphorus (P) uptake under limiting soil-P conditions were examined in two sets of greenhouse experiments. Average diameter and length of soybean, cowpea, maize and sorghum roots were assessed after 7 weeks in three low-P soils amended with P fertilizer at 0,...
Nwoke, O.C.
,
Diels, J.
,
Abaidoo, R.C.
,
Nziguheba, Generose
,
Merckx, R.
,
[Organic acids in the rhizosphere and root characteristics of soybean (Glycine max) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in relation to phosphorus uptake in poor savanna soils]
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Organic acids in the rhizosphere and root characteristics of soybean (Glycine max) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in relation to phosphorus uptake in poor savanna soils
Background and aims Incorporating soybean (Glycine max) genotypes with a high nitrogen fixation potential into cropping systems can sustainably improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Western Kenya. Nitrogen fixation is, however, often constrained by low phosphorus (P) availability. The...
Vandamme, E.
,
Renkens, M.
,
Pypers, Pieter
,
Smolders, E.
,
Vanlauwe, Bernard
,
Merckx, R.
,
[Root hairs explain P uptake efficiency of soybean genotypes grown in a Pdeficient Ferralsol]
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Root hairs explain P uptake efficiency of soybean genotypes grown in a Pdeficient Ferralsol
Declining soil fertility is a major cause of low per capita food production on smallholder farms of
sub-Saharan Africa. This study attempted to provide an empirical explanation of the factors associated
with farmers’ decisions to adopt or not to adopt newly introduced integrated soil fertility ma...
Mugwe, J
,
Mugendi, DN
,
Mucheru-Muna, M.
,
Merckx, R.
,
Chianu, J.N.
,
Vanlauwe, Bernard
,
[Determinants of the decision to adopt integrated soil fertility management practices by smallholder farmers in the central highlands of Kenya]
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Determinants of the decision to adopt integrated soil fertility management practices by smallholder farmers in the central highlands of Kenya
Nutrient depletion is a major constraint to crop production for moist savanna soils, and inputs of nutrients are required to overcome this constraint. The impact of sole and combined applications of organic inputs (OIs) [fresh tree prunings, Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth. residues, and manu...
Vanlauwe, Bernard
,
Aihou, K.
,
Aman, S
,
Iwuafor, E.N.O.
,
Tossah, B.K.
,
Diels, J.
,
Sanginga, Nteranya
,
Lyasse, O.
,
Merckx, R.
,
Deckers, J.
,
[Maize yield as affected by organic inputs and urea in the West African moist savanna]
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Maize yield as affected by organic inputs and urea in the West African moist savanna
Crop response, tree biomass production and changes in soil fertility characteristics were monitored in a long-term (1986–2002) alley-cropping trial in Ibadan, Nigeria. The systems included two alley cropping systems with Leucaena leucocephala and Senna siamea on the one hand and a control (no-tre...
Vanlauwe, Bernard
,
Diels, J.
,
Sanginga, Nteranya
,
Merckx, R.
,
[Long-term integrated soil fertility management in South-western Nigeria : Crop performance and impact on the soil fertility status]
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Long-term integrated soil fertility management in South-western Nigeria : Crop performance and impact on the soil fertility status
The 13C natural labeling technique in combination with modeling could potentially be used to analyze SOM changes in long-term experiments involving complex cropping systems such as agroforestry systems. It requires information on quantity and 13C abundance of all plant materials entering the soil...
Diels, J.
,
Vanlauwe, Bernard
,
Sanginga, N.
,
Coolen, E.
,
Merckx, R.
,
[Temporal variations in plant delta 13C values and implications for using the 13C technique in longterm soil organic matter studies]
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Temporal variations in plant delta 13C values and implications for using the 13C technique in longterm soil organic matter studies