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Nitrogen leaching losses and balances in conventional and organic farming systems in Kenya

Musyoka, Martha W.; Adamtey, Noah; Muriuki, Anne W.; Bautze, David; Karanja, Edward N.; Mucheru-Muna, Monica; Fiaboe, Komi K.M. and Cadisch, Georg (2019) Nitrogen leaching losses and balances in conventional and organic farming systems in Kenya. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 114 (3), pp. 237-260.

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Document available online at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10705-019-10002-7


Summary

Organic farming has been proposed as a solution to foster agricultural sustainability and mitigate the negative environmental impacts of conventional farming. This study assessed N losses and soil surface N balances in conventional and organic farming systems in a sub-humid and semi-humid (Chuka and Thika) sites in Kenya. Nitrate–N (NO3−–N) leached was trapped at 1 m depth using the Self Integrating Accumulator core method and the changes in mineral-N were assessed at different soil depths and different crop growth stages. Both conventional and organic farming systems lost substantial amounts of NO3−–N at the early growth stages of all the crops. Cumulative NO3−–N leached was similar in all the farming systems in each cropping season. More NO3−–N was leached during potato cropping (22–38 kg N ha−1) than during maize (0.9–5.7 kg N ha−1) and vegetable cropping (1.9–2.9 kg N ha−1). Under maize cultivation, three times more NO3−–N was leached at Chuka site than at Thika site. During the potato cropping, between 79 and 83% of the N applied in the low input systems was leached, compared to 10–20% in the high input systems. Only Org-High exhibited a positive soil surface N balance (797–1263 kg ha−1) over a whole rotation period at both sites. We recommend reducing N applications for potato in all farming systems and at the early growth stages for all the crops in order to reduce N loss to the environment. We also recommend increasing N application rates in the low input systems and to developing a model to guide application of organic inputs.


EPrint Type:Journal paper
Keywords:Farming systems, High input, Low input, Nitrate–N leaching, N-balance
Subjects: Environmental aspects > Air and water emissions
"Organics" in general > Countries and regions > Africa
Research affiliation: Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > International
Kenya
Germany > University of Hohenheim
DOI:doi.org/10.1007/s10705-019-10002-7
Deposited By: Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau, FiBL
ID Code:35579
Deposited On:27 Jun 2019 14:16
Last Modified:27 Jun 2019 14:16
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

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