The benefits of integrating locally adaptable water and nutrient management technologies were explored in semi-arid Zimbabwe. On-farm maize based experiments were set up on six farmers＇ fields in Ward 5, Shurugwi. Th...The benefits of integrating locally adaptable water and nutrient management technologies were explored in semi-arid Zimbabwe. On-farm maize based experiments were set up on six farmers＇ fields in Ward 5, Shurugwi. Three tillage systems namely Post-Emergence Tied Ridging （PETR）, Rip ＆ Pot-Holing （RPH） and Conventional Mouldboard Ploughing （CMP） were integrated to three nutrient management regimes, i.e. a control with no fertility amelioration, pit-stored cattle manure band applied at 10 t/ha and the latter with an additional top dressing of ammonium nitrate （34.5% N） at 100 kg/ha. On each site the treatments were set up as a completely randomized split-plot block design replicated 3 times with tillage （water management） as the main treatment and fertility as the sub-treatment. CMP mimicked the farmers＇ common land preparation practice while PETR and RPH systems represented the improved water harvesting tillage techniques. Results revealed significant nutrient management effects right from the first season giving 3-year means of 1,298, 1,977 and 2,490 kg/ha for the control, manure and manure plus fertilizer treatments respectively. On the other hand, water harvesting tillage effects were insignificant initially （2003/4） but had beneficial effects in subsequent seasons （2004/5 and 2005/6） with 3-year grain yield means of 1,624, 2,032 and 2,108 kg/ha for CMP, PETR and RPH, respectively. Maximum yield benefits from integrating PETR and RPH with manure ＋ AN fertility ameliorants amounted to 218 and 261% respectively, compared to CMP with no fertility amendment. The results therefore showed increased benefits when in-situ water harvesting tillage techniques are integrated with appropriate nutrient ameliorants giving realizable food security benefits to the farmer.展开更多
文摘The benefits of integrating locally adaptable water and nutrient management technologies were explored in semi-arid Zimbabwe. On-farm maize based experiments were set up on six farmers＇ fields in Ward 5, Shurugwi. Three tillage systems namely Post-Emergence Tied Ridging （PETR）, Rip ＆ Pot-Holing （RPH） and Conventional Mouldboard Ploughing （CMP） were integrated to three nutrient management regimes, i.e. a control with no fertility amelioration, pit-stored cattle manure band applied at 10 t/ha and the latter with an additional top dressing of ammonium nitrate （34.5% N） at 100 kg/ha. On each site the treatments were set up as a completely randomized split-plot block design replicated 3 times with tillage （water management） as the main treatment and fertility as the sub-treatment. CMP mimicked the farmers＇ common land preparation practice while PETR and RPH systems represented the improved water harvesting tillage techniques. Results revealed significant nutrient management effects right from the first season giving 3-year means of 1,298, 1,977 and 2,490 kg/ha for the control, manure and manure plus fertilizer treatments respectively. On the other hand, water harvesting tillage effects were insignificant initially （2003/4） but had beneficial effects in subsequent seasons （2004/5 and 2005/6） with 3-year grain yield means of 1,624, 2,032 and 2,108 kg/ha for CMP, PETR and RPH, respectively. Maximum yield benefits from integrating PETR and RPH with manure ＋ AN fertility ameliorants amounted to 218 and 261% respectively, compared to CMP with no fertility amendment. The results therefore showed increased benefits when in-situ water harvesting tillage techniques are integrated with appropriate nutrient ameliorants giving realizable food security benefits to the farmer.
