Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea Cameroon
Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is commonly used to improve soil fertility and maize production in Cameroon, but high cost and potential environmental effects have necessitated site-specific N fertilization regimes that are adapted to particular soil and crop types. A field experiment was conducted with fiv...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2019-01-01
|
| Series: | Advances in Agriculture |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/4681825 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832552080303194112 |
|---|---|
| author | Christopher Ngosong Victorine Bongkisheri Clovis B. Tanyi Lawrence T. Nanganoa Aaron S. Tening |
| author_facet | Christopher Ngosong Victorine Bongkisheri Clovis B. Tanyi Lawrence T. Nanganoa Aaron S. Tening |
| author_sort | Christopher Ngosong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is commonly used to improve soil fertility and maize production in Cameroon, but high cost and potential environmental effects have necessitated site-specific N fertilization regimes that are adapted to particular soil and crop types. A field experiment was conducted with five N application rates (control–0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha−1) to determine optimum rate for best maize yield with limited effect on soil acidification. The soil residual N ranged from 0.18 to 0.36% across N application rates and increased at higher application rates with the highest in 150 and 200 kg N ha−1. Soil C/N ratio ranged from 7.5 to 15.5 across N rates with the highest in control, which decreased at higher N application rates. Soil pH ranged from 4.7 to 5.4 across N rates, with the lowest in 200 kg N ha−1 rate. Maize grain yield and cob length ranged from 7.1 to 10.3 t ha−1 and from 14.5 to 18 cm across N rates, respectively, with the highest in 150 and 200 kg N ha−1. Maize 1000-grain weight ranged from 380 to 560 g across N application rates with the highest in 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha−1. Significant negative correlations occurred between soil pH and maize yield or 1000-grain weight. Maize N use efficiency decreased sharply at higher N application rates, as demonstrated by a strong negative correlation between the N-Partial Factor Productivity and total soil N. Overall, the lower soil pH at higher N application rates highlights the potential for deleterious effects of N fertilizer inputs on arable soils, which may eventually affect crop productivity, thereby suggesting lower N fertilization regimes between 50 and 100 kg N ha−1 as the optimum for maize production on the volcanic soils of Buea. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-584d6a9d1ac5400e8473424d340ba966 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2356-654X 2314-7539 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj-art-584d6a9d1ac5400e8473424d340ba9662025-02-03T05:59:40ZengWileyAdvances in Agriculture2356-654X2314-75392019-01-01201910.1155/2019/46818254681825Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea CameroonChristopher Ngosong0Victorine Bongkisheri1Clovis B. Tanyi2Lawrence T. Nanganoa3Aaron S. Tening4Department of Agronomic and Applied Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, South West Region, CameroonDepartment of Agronomic and Applied Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, South West Region, CameroonDepartment of Agronomic and Applied Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, South West Region, CameroonInstitute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) Ekona, P.O. Box 25, Buea, South West Region, CameroonDepartment of Agronomic and Applied Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, South West Region, CameroonNitrogen (N) fertilizer is commonly used to improve soil fertility and maize production in Cameroon, but high cost and potential environmental effects have necessitated site-specific N fertilization regimes that are adapted to particular soil and crop types. A field experiment was conducted with five N application rates (control–0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha−1) to determine optimum rate for best maize yield with limited effect on soil acidification. The soil residual N ranged from 0.18 to 0.36% across N application rates and increased at higher application rates with the highest in 150 and 200 kg N ha−1. Soil C/N ratio ranged from 7.5 to 15.5 across N rates with the highest in control, which decreased at higher N application rates. Soil pH ranged from 4.7 to 5.4 across N rates, with the lowest in 200 kg N ha−1 rate. Maize grain yield and cob length ranged from 7.1 to 10.3 t ha−1 and from 14.5 to 18 cm across N rates, respectively, with the highest in 150 and 200 kg N ha−1. Maize 1000-grain weight ranged from 380 to 560 g across N application rates with the highest in 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha−1. Significant negative correlations occurred between soil pH and maize yield or 1000-grain weight. Maize N use efficiency decreased sharply at higher N application rates, as demonstrated by a strong negative correlation between the N-Partial Factor Productivity and total soil N. Overall, the lower soil pH at higher N application rates highlights the potential for deleterious effects of N fertilizer inputs on arable soils, which may eventually affect crop productivity, thereby suggesting lower N fertilization regimes between 50 and 100 kg N ha−1 as the optimum for maize production on the volcanic soils of Buea.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/4681825 |
| spellingShingle | Christopher Ngosong Victorine Bongkisheri Clovis B. Tanyi Lawrence T. Nanganoa Aaron S. Tening Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea Cameroon Advances in Agriculture |
| title | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea Cameroon |
| title_full | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea Cameroon |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea Cameroon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea Cameroon |
| title_short | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes for Sustainable Maize (Zea mays L.) Production on the Volcanic Soils of Buea Cameroon |
| title_sort | optimizing nitrogen fertilization regimes for sustainable maize zea mays l production on the volcanic soils of buea cameroon |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/4681825 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christopherngosong optimizingnitrogenfertilizationregimesforsustainablemaizezeamayslproductiononthevolcanicsoilsofbueacameroon AT victorinebongkisheri optimizingnitrogenfertilizationregimesforsustainablemaizezeamayslproductiononthevolcanicsoilsofbueacameroon AT clovisbtanyi optimizingnitrogenfertilizationregimesforsustainablemaizezeamayslproductiononthevolcanicsoilsofbueacameroon AT lawrencetnanganoa optimizingnitrogenfertilizationregimesforsustainablemaizezeamayslproductiononthevolcanicsoilsofbueacameroon AT aaronstening optimizingnitrogenfertilizationregimesforsustainablemaizezeamayslproductiononthevolcanicsoilsofbueacameroon |