Browsing by Author "Nyawade, Shadrack O."

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    Lupin and Lima Beans Diminish Potatoes’ N and P Uptake, Uptake Efficiency and Use Efficiency
    (springer, 2024) Haile, Mustafa A.; Karanja, Nancy N.; Nyawade, Shadrack O.; Gitari, Harun I.; Cheruto, Gladys; Nyawira, Lukelysia; Raza, Muhammad Ali; Kamau, Solomon
    Declining soil fertility and climate change have led to a reduction in potato yield and thus negatively affected the livelihood of communities that rely on the crop. A study was conducted in Nyandarua County, Kenya, for two seasons to evaluate the potential of potato-legume intercropping in enhancing N and P uptake and use efficiencies and on potato fresh tuber and equivalent yield (PEY). Potato equivalent yield compares system performance by converting the yield of legume crops into equivalent potato yield based on prevailing market prices. Treatments comprised two potato-legume intercrops: lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) and lupin (Lupinus albus L.), and two inorganic fertilizers: Di-ammonium phosphate (18:46:0), composite NPK (17:17:17), and a no input control. Treatment combinations were as follows: (i) sole potato, (ii) potato-lima beans and (iii) potato-lupin intercrops. Fertilizers were applied to each of the three cropping systems separately. Higher N uptake was found in sole potato (73.5 kg ha−1), which was more than double that recorded in potato-lupin (35.9 kg ha−1) and 60% more than that recorded in potato-lima beans intercrop (46.8 kg ha−1). On the other hand, N use efficiency was higher in potato-lupin (240.6 kg PEY kg−1 N supply) and sole potato (238.6 kg PEY kg−1 N supply) and lowest in potato-lima beans (139.0 kg PEY kg−1 N supply). Intercropping resulted in a decrease in fresh tuber yield by more than 70% while the equivalent yield decreased by almost 15 Mg ha−1. The application of fertilizer did not enhance the recovery of the yield loss. The study establishes that the choice of companion legumes in intercropping can significantly influence nutrient uptake and use efficiency, and thus the yield of the potato crop.
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    Publication
    Lupin and Lima Beans Diminish Potatoes’ N and P Uptake, Uptake Efficiency and Use Efficiency
    (2024-03-01) Haile, Mustafa A.; Karanja, Nancy N.; Nyawade, Shadrack O.; Gitari, Harun I.; Cheruto, Gladys; Nyawira, Lukelysia; Raza, Muhammad Ali; Kamau, Solomon
    Declining soil fertility and climate change have led to a reduction in potato yield and thus negatively affected the livelihood of communities that rely on the crop. A study was conducted in Nyandarua County, Kenya, for two seasons to evaluate the potential of potato-legume intercropping in enhancing N and P uptake and use efficiencies and on potato fresh tuber and equivalent yield (PEY). Potato equivalent yield compares system performance by converting the yield of legume crops into equivalent potato yield based on prevailing market prices. Treatments comprised two potato-legume intercrops: lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) and lupin (Lupinus albus L.), and two inorganic fertilizers: Di-ammonium phosphate (18:46:0), composite NPK (17:17:17), and a no input control. Treatment combinations were as follows: (i) sole potato, (ii) potato-lima beans and (iii) potato-lupin intercrops. Fertilizers were applied to each of the three cropping systems separately. Higher N uptake was found in sole potato (73.5 kg ha−1), which was more than double that recorded in potato-lupin (35.9 kg ha−1) and 60% more than that recorded in potato-lima beans intercrop (46.8 kg ha−1). On the other hand, N use efficiency was higher in potato-lupin (240.6 kg PEY kg−1 N supply) and sole potato (238.6 kg PEY kg−1 N supply) and lowest in potato-lima beans (139.0 kg PEY kg−1 N supply). Intercropping resulted in a decrease in fresh tuber yield by more than 70% while the equivalent yield decreased by almost 15 Mg ha−1. The application of fertilizer did not enhance the recovery of the yield loss. The study establishes that the choice of companion legumes in intercropping can significantly influence nutrient uptake and use efficiency, and thus the yield of the potato crop.
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    Revisiting intercropping indices with respect to potato-legume intercropping systems
    (Elsevier, 2020-11-01) Gitari, Harun I.; Nyawade, Shadrack O.; Kamau, Solomon; Karanja, Nancy N.; Gachene, Charles K. K.; Raza, Muhammad A.; Maitra, Sagar; Schulte-Geldermann, Elmar
    Intercropping is gaining popularity in developing countries as a viable strategy for diversifying cropping systems to ease food insecurity, given that arable land is shrinking, and demand for food crops is increasing due to rapid population growth. A field experiment was conducted in 2015 and 2016, to examine the biological and economic viability of two intercropping systems (potato-dolichos and potato-bean planted in two potatoes to legume population density ratios: 1.1:2 and 1: 2.4) and their corresponding pure stands. Intercropping systems were also evaluated based on five competition indices: relative crowding coefficient (K), aggressivity (A), competitive ratio (CR), intercropping advantage (IA) and actual yield loss (AYL). Although biological feasibility revealed that intercropping decreased the yield of intercrops compared with respective monocultures; the economic assessment of different cropping systems indicated that intercropping resulted in a higher remuneration (gross and net income) than pure stands. Intercropping potato with a high population of legume (in 1: 2.4 patterns), resulted in not only higher system productivity but also potato equivalent yield compared to 1.1:2. Intercropping proved to be advantageous with AYL decreasing with increasing proportion of the legumes, whereas IA increased as the population of legumes increased. With regard to competition between the intercrops, the potato was more aggressive (A of potato was positive, and its CR > 1) in all cropping systems, and it dominated over legume (that had negative A values and CR < 1). Aggressivity and dominance capacity was higher in 1: 2.4 than 1.1:2 series. These results suggest that potato-legume intercropping may provide viable intensification options, especially for smallholder farmers.