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Effect of Phosphate Levels on Soil Rhizosphere Nutrient Balances and Finger Millet Yield

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/9785/
http://dx.doi.org/10.9734/ARJA/2016/29606
10.9734/ARJA/2016/29606
 
Title Effect of Phosphate Levels on Soil Rhizosphere Nutrient Balances and Finger Millet Yield
 
Creator Wafula, W N
Korir, N K
Ojulong, H F
Gweyi-Onyango, J P
 
Subject Millets
Finger Millet
Soil
 
Description Soil infertility is one of the main factors leading to low finger millet production in the semi-arid
tropics of Kenya. About 50-80% of P applied as fertilizer is adsorbed by soil and the amount of P
needed to achieve maintenance of its adequate status and influence on other soil properties has
not been well documented. An on-station experiment was therefore conducted at the KALROKiboko
research station during the 2014 long and 2015 short rain seasons to investigate the
influence of phosphorus rates on soil rhizosphere chemical properties and yield of three finger
millet varieties. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design in factorial
arrangement and replicated three times. There were four P levels (0, 12.5, 25 and 37.5 kg ha-1
P2O5) and three varieties (U15, P-224 and local check-Kat FM1). Phosphorus application reduced
the soil pH significantly for both seasons with the 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate eliciting the greatest pH
from 9.26 to 7.90 (1.36 units) during the long rain season. As expected, soil phosphorus increased
with the highest rate with 11 ppm during the long rain season and 9 ppm for the short rains. The
organic carbon increased by 0.28% for the long rain season on the 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate while the
highest rate increased total N by 0.05%. The 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate and U-15 indicated the highest
yield for both seasons with a maximum of 3.71 t ha-1 realized during the short rain season.
Monitoring change in soil nutrient status is important for prescribing P fertilization in order to
maintain or replenish soil fertility. The application rate of 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 led to the optimal yields
under the improved variety and hence the study recommends this rate.
 
Publisher Science Domain International
 
Date 2016
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Rights —
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/9785/1/Wafula212016ARJA29606.pdf
Wafula, W N and Korir, N K and Ojulong, H F and Gweyi-Onyango, J P (2016) Effect of Phosphate Levels on Soil Rhizosphere Nutrient Balances and Finger Millet Yield. Asian Research Journal of Agriculture, 02 (01). 01-08.