Abstract: The decline in soil productivity and crop production are major challenge to ensure agricultural sustainability and food security in East Africa sub-Saharan country like Ethiopia particularly in the study area at Girisa SubWatershed of Dugda District. In order to alleviate this integrated soil fertility management has crucial role. However, there is no or very limited information and documented data on assessment of soil fertility status in Girisa SubWatershed, in Dugda District. Th...
Abstract: Soil Organic carbon (SOC) is vital to the soil’s ecosystem functioning as well as improving soil fertility. Slight variation in C in the soil has significant potential to be either a source of CO2 in the atmosphere or a sink to be stored in the form of soil organic matter. Location-specific information on soil organic carbon (SOC) helps to identify potential sources and sinks of carbon. However, modeling SOC spatiotemporal changes was challenging due to lack of data to represent ...
Abstract: Currently, more attention is being given to fertilizing the soil with micronutrients in many Sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia. This study was initiated to assess effects of boron fertilizer rates on selected soil properties, growth and growth parameters of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) in Haramaya District, Eastern Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia. A preliminary survey and field observation were carried out to get general information about the landform, vegetation cov...
Abstract: Soil is one of the most important natural resources. However, detailed scientific knowledge and information are lacking on soil resources. Subsequently, this affects agricultural crop productivity and profitability if its potentials and limitations are not realized in the study area. The purpose of this study was to: (1) characterize and classify soils along toposequence; (2) analyze and map the spatial variability of soil fertility status, and (3) assess the spatial variability of...
Abstract: Soil erosion has become a globally challenging issue that poses a serious threat to agriculture and natural resources, particularly in developing countries like Ethiopia. Estimating the magnitude of soil loss and understanding the spatial distribution of erosion-prone areas is critical to plan and effectively implement soil conservation measures with limited resources. This study was conducted in Gununo watershed, where soil erosion is threatening the sustainability of agricultural...
Abstract: Characterization and classification of soil is the main source of information for precision agriculture, land use planning and management. For an efficient use of the limited land resources, site specific management recommendations based on site specific information are much required. Undulating topography, altitudinal differences and large variations in slope were characteristic features of the present study area (Dhengego subwatershed). The purpose of the present study was to cha...
Abstract: Rain-fed agrarian reported as the backbone of the Rwandan economy has been severely affected by prolonged droughts and climate change impacts, resulting in severe food insecurity. In the Eastern Province, adoption of mono-cropping (MnC) system at dissent driven by the CIP may critically worsen the rain-fed agricultural gains against of mixed cropping (MxC) systems in drought conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze and compare SOC stocks, simulated maize biomass and grain...
Abstract: This study was carried out in Kulkullessa Sub-Watershed of Goro Gutu District in Eastern Ethiopia to assess the effects of climate smart SWC practices and slope gradient on selected physicochemical properties of the soil and the soil's organic carbon stocks. The farmland conserved by SB, BT and GS five years after construction with two slope gradients (15-20%) and (21-30%) was selected. Twenty-four composite soil samples were collected from a depth of 20 cm and tested in the Harama...
Abstract: Any study concerning agricultural use of the soil resources has to begin with the characterization, genetic assessment and classification of the soils since these aid to identify constraints and potentials of soils that play great role in the exchange of knowledge among agricultural experts. The soil resources of East Hararghe, due to different environmental factors, especially due to the strongly rugged topographic condition and anthropogenic influences over a long period of time,...
Abstract: Site specific soil studies that include survey, characterization and classification at large scale are necessary to identify the production potentials and constraints that may limit agricultural Production and thereby to make site specific appropriate recommendations to solve agricultural problems based on the spatial variability of soil properties. The present study was conducted with the objective of characterization, classification and mapping soils of Hate Leman micro-watershed...
Abstract: Declined soil fertility is one of the main constraints to improve food production in Ethiopia and inadequate information about soil fertility in the study area. To replenish impoverished soils, site and crop-specific studies of soil fertility parameters are required to devise appropriate suggestions for site-specific balanced fertilizer recommendation and soil fertility management in the study area. With this milieu, this study was initiated to assess soil fertility, quantify nutri...
Abstract: The Decline in soil fertility due to nutrient depletion is a concern for low-input crop production in most parts of Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of vermicompost combinations with NPS fertilizer on soil physicochemical properties, Mungbean yield and yield components in Amibara district, middle awash, Ethiopia. The study was conducted at Werer Agricultural Research Center using mungbean under irrigated conditions. Experimental treatmen...
Abstract: Soil test based fertilizer recommendation concurrent to the actual limiting nutrients for a given crop helps to supply adequate and balanced plant nutrients for sustainable crop production without affecting soil health negatively. Blended NPSB fertilizer is a newly introduced fertilizer for crop production in the study area. However their optimum rate for maize crop production and their impact on selected soil property is not yet determined in the study area. Therefore a study was ...
Abstract: Changes in land use, particularly the transformation of natural ecosystems into managed agroecosystems under poor management practices, are widespread in Melka Gura Subwatershed in North Shewa, Ethiopia. Therefore, studying variations and status in soil properties across land uses is essential to knowing the extent and magnitude of soil degradation across different land uses and planning suitable soil management strategies. Due to this, the current study evaluated certain soil phys...
Abstract: The study evaluated the effects of soil organic matter amendments on temporal dynamics of populations of A. flavus and antagonistic microbes, and on aflatoxin contamination in groundnut under field conditions in Malawi. The study also investigated the implications of rainfall on populations of the microbes. Treatments included commercial organic fertilizer applied at the rates of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 t ha-1; and farmyard manure at rates of 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 t ha-1, while an untreated pl...