Pub Date : 2022-04-22DOI: 10.1017/S0014479722000138
A. Jani, T. Motis, J. Longfellow, B. Lingbeek, C. D’Aiuto
Abstract Legume agronomic research in Southern Africa has often focused on integrating legumes into smallholder cereal cropping systems, but there is limited information available on the feasibility and soil health implications of continuous cropping legumes in the region. Continuous legumes may be suitable in areas with large livestock populations where a premium is placed on high-quality forage, or where efforts are underway to reclaim degraded cropland. Our objectives in this study were to (i) evaluate the performance of diverse legumes under continuous cropping and conservation tillage management with no fertility inputs and (ii) assess the response of soil health parameters to continuous legumes in a semi-arid environment. A 4-year study was conducted in Limpopo, South Africa beginning in the 2011–2012 growing season in which 10 legume and fallow treatments were imposed in the same plots for 4 growing seasons. All legumes responded negatively in varying degrees to continuous cropping in terms of biomass and nutrient accumulation. Lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) was the top-performing legume in the study and accumulated 4.5–13 Mg ha−1 of biomass and 153–345, 11–34, and 75–286 kg ha−1 of N, P, and K, respectively. Lablab often outperformed natural fallow, while other legumes generally performed as well as or inferior to natural fallow, depending on species and growing season. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata Walp) was especially incompatible with continuous cropping and averaged less than 252 kg ha−1 and 2.1 Mg ha−1 of grain and biomass, respectively, from 2012–2013 to 2014–2015. Continuous cropping did not lead to sustained improvements in soil health. By 2014–2015, soil organic matter for all treatments had either declined or resembled baseline values. Rates of potentially mineralizable N in cowpea, lablab, vining mucuna (Mucuna pruriens var. Utilis), natural fallow, and bare ground plots fell by 70–96% during the study. There was also evidence for lower recovery of leached K by legumes compared to natural fallow species. In conclusion, legumes, such as lablab, should be considered as continuous forages on marginal land in areas where high-quality forage is in demand, but continuous cropping legumes without fertility inputs are not an effective strategy for improving soil health on degraded cropland in this semi-arid region of Southern Africa. Future research efforts may focus on the grazing strategies and baling frequencies required to optimize annual biomass accumulation of continuous lablab to meet livestock demand and support smallholder livelihoods.
摘要南部非洲的豆类农学研究通常侧重于将豆类纳入小农户谷物种植系统,但关于该地区连作豆类的可行性和土壤健康影响的信息有限。连续的豆类作物可能适合畜牧业人口众多的地区,那里重视高质量的饲料,或者正在努力开垦退化的农田。我们在这项研究中的目标是(i)评估不同豆类在无肥力投入的连作和保护性耕作管理下的表现,以及(ii)评估半干旱环境中土壤健康参数对连作豆类的响应。从2011-2012年的生长季节开始,在南非林波波进行了一项为期4年的研究,在同一块土地上进行了10次豆类和休耕处理,持续4个生长季节。所有豆类在生物量和养分积累方面对连作都有不同程度的负面反应。Lablab(Lablab purpureus L.)是该研究中表现最好的豆科植物,其生物量分别为4.5–13 Mg ha−1和153–345、11–34和75–286 kg ha−1的N、P和K。Lablab通常表现优于自然休耕,而其他豆类的表现通常与自然休耕一样好或不如,这取决于物种和生长季节。豇豆(Vigna unguiculata Walp)与连作特别不相容,从2012-2013年到2014-2015年,平均谷物和生物量分别低于252 kg ha−1和2.1 Mg ha−1。连作并没有导致土壤健康状况的持续改善。到2014-2015年,所有处理的土壤有机质要么下降,要么接近基线值。在研究过程中,豇豆、lablab、酿酒mucuna(mucuna curiens var.Utilis)、自然休耕地和裸地的潜在矿化氮含量下降了70-96%。还有证据表明,与自然休耕物种相比,豆类对浸出钾的回收率较低。总之,在需要高质量饲料的地区,豆类,如lablab,应被视为边缘土地上的连续饲料,但在南部非洲这个半干旱地区,没有肥力投入的连作豆类并不是改善退化农田土壤健康的有效策略。未来的研究工作可能侧重于优化连续实验室的年度生物量积累所需的放牧策略和打包频率,以满足牲畜需求并支持小农户的生计。
{"title":"Continuous cropping legumes in semi-arid Southern Africa: Legume productivity and soil health implications","authors":"A. Jani, T. Motis, J. Longfellow, B. Lingbeek, C. D’Aiuto","doi":"10.1017/S0014479722000138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479722000138","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Legume agronomic research in Southern Africa has often focused on integrating legumes into smallholder cereal cropping systems, but there is limited information available on the feasibility and soil health implications of continuous cropping legumes in the region. Continuous legumes may be suitable in areas with large livestock populations where a premium is placed on high-quality forage, or where efforts are underway to reclaim degraded cropland. Our objectives in this study were to (i) evaluate the performance of diverse legumes under continuous cropping and conservation tillage management with no fertility inputs and (ii) assess the response of soil health parameters to continuous legumes in a semi-arid environment. A 4-year study was conducted in Limpopo, South Africa beginning in the 2011–2012 growing season in which 10 legume and fallow treatments were imposed in the same plots for 4 growing seasons. All legumes responded negatively in varying degrees to continuous cropping in terms of biomass and nutrient accumulation. Lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) was the top-performing legume in the study and accumulated 4.5–13 Mg ha−1 of biomass and 153–345, 11–34, and 75–286 kg ha−1 of N, P, and K, respectively. Lablab often outperformed natural fallow, while other legumes generally performed as well as or inferior to natural fallow, depending on species and growing season. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata Walp) was especially incompatible with continuous cropping and averaged less than 252 kg ha−1 and 2.1 Mg ha−1 of grain and biomass, respectively, from 2012–2013 to 2014–2015. Continuous cropping did not lead to sustained improvements in soil health. By 2014–2015, soil organic matter for all treatments had either declined or resembled baseline values. Rates of potentially mineralizable N in cowpea, lablab, vining mucuna (Mucuna pruriens var. Utilis), natural fallow, and bare ground plots fell by 70–96% during the study. There was also evidence for lower recovery of leached K by legumes compared to natural fallow species. In conclusion, legumes, such as lablab, should be considered as continuous forages on marginal land in areas where high-quality forage is in demand, but continuous cropping legumes without fertility inputs are not an effective strategy for improving soil health on degraded cropland in this semi-arid region of Southern Africa. Future research efforts may focus on the grazing strategies and baling frequencies required to optimize annual biomass accumulation of continuous lablab to meet livestock demand and support smallholder livelihoods.","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49558532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-13DOI: 10.1017/S0014479722000060
N. Pandit, Y. K. Gaihre, Shriniwas Gautam, S. Maharjan, S. Vista, D. Choudhary
Summary Enhanced-efficiency nitrogen (N) fertilizers (EENFs) such as slow-release polymer-coated urea (PCU) and deep placement of urea briquettes (UBs) improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by reducing N losses and increasing nitrogen uptake by plants. Multilocation field trials (81) with cauliflower were conducted across two agroecological regions covering seven districts during two crop-growing seasons between 2018 and 2020 to assess the potential of three EENFs, i.e., PCU, sulphur-coated urea (SCU) and UB for increasing curd yields, agronomic NUE (AEN) and economic benefits over conventional urea (CU). Results were compared with farmers’ current nutrient management practice (FP): applying CU at 58.5 kg N ha−1 (ranging from 33 to 88 kg N ha−1). The N rates in three EENF treatments were 33% lower (100 kg N ha−1), considering their higher N use efficiency, than for CU (150 kg N ha−1). We hypothesize that EENFs produce similar or even higher yields compared with CU. For both years, all three EENFs resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) higher curd yields than CU (36.7 ± 1.1 t ha−1). PCU, SCU and UB increased yields by 21, 21 and 24% over those for CU. The yield increment was much higher (PCU, 44%; SCU, 43%; UB, 46%) than for FP. Similarly, PCU, SCU and UB increased the partial factor productivity of N (PFPN) by 91, 90 and 94% and the AEN by 133, 129 and 138%, respectively, compared with CU. The gross margins of all three EENFs were similar: an average 25% more than with CU and 51% more than with FP. These results suggest that EENFs could help increase productivity and farmer income while considerably reducing N input, compared to use of CU. The government of Nepal should promote these EENFs by removing barriers to access for the associated fertilizers and foster their use through extension.
高效氮肥(EENFs),如缓释聚合物包膜尿素(PCU)和尿素压块(UBs)深埋,通过减少氮素损失和增加植物对氮的吸收来提高氮素利用效率(NUE)。在2018年至2020年的两个作物生长季节,在覆盖7个地区的两个农业生态区对花椰菜进行了多地点田间试验,以评估三种EENFs(即PCU、硫包尿素(SCU)和UB)在提高凝乳产量、农艺氮肥利用率(AEN)和经济效益方面的潜力。结果比较了农民目前的养分管理实践(FP):施用CU的氮素为58.5 kg N ha - 1(范围为33 ~ 88 kg N ha - 1)。考虑到氮利用效率较高,3个EENF处理(100 kg N ha−1)的施氮量比CU处理(150 kg N ha−1)低33%。我们假设EENFs与CU产生相似甚至更高的产量。在这两年中,所有三种EENFs均显著(p < 0.05)高于CU(36.7±1.1 t / h - 1)。PCU、SCU和UB分别比CU增产21%、21%和24%。产量增量高得多(PCU, 44%;并,43%;UB, 46%)高于FP。与CU相比,PCU、SCU和UB分别使N (PFPN)的部分要素生产率提高了91%、90%和94%,AEN分别提高了133、129和138%。所有三种eenf的毛利率相似:平均比CU高25%,比FP高51%。这些结果表明,与使用铜相比,EENFs可以帮助提高生产力和农民收入,同时大大减少氮的投入。尼泊尔政府应通过消除获得相关肥料的障碍,并通过推广促进其使用,来促进这些EENFs。
{"title":"Enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizer boosts cauliflower productivity and farmers’ income: Multi-location and multi-year field trials across Nepal","authors":"N. Pandit, Y. K. Gaihre, Shriniwas Gautam, S. Maharjan, S. Vista, D. Choudhary","doi":"10.1017/S0014479722000060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479722000060","url":null,"abstract":"Summary Enhanced-efficiency nitrogen (N) fertilizers (EENFs) such as slow-release polymer-coated urea (PCU) and deep placement of urea briquettes (UBs) improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by reducing N losses and increasing nitrogen uptake by plants. Multilocation field trials (81) with cauliflower were conducted across two agroecological regions covering seven districts during two crop-growing seasons between 2018 and 2020 to assess the potential of three EENFs, i.e., PCU, sulphur-coated urea (SCU) and UB for increasing curd yields, agronomic NUE (AEN) and economic benefits over conventional urea (CU). Results were compared with farmers’ current nutrient management practice (FP): applying CU at 58.5 kg N ha−1 (ranging from 33 to 88 kg N ha−1). The N rates in three EENF treatments were 33% lower (100 kg N ha−1), considering their higher N use efficiency, than for CU (150 kg N ha−1). We hypothesize that EENFs produce similar or even higher yields compared with CU. For both years, all three EENFs resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) higher curd yields than CU (36.7 ± 1.1 t ha−1). PCU, SCU and UB increased yields by 21, 21 and 24% over those for CU. The yield increment was much higher (PCU, 44%; SCU, 43%; UB, 46%) than for FP. Similarly, PCU, SCU and UB increased the partial factor productivity of N (PFPN) by 91, 90 and 94% and the AEN by 133, 129 and 138%, respectively, compared with CU. The gross margins of all three EENFs were similar: an average 25% more than with CU and 51% more than with FP. These results suggest that EENFs could help increase productivity and farmer income while considerably reducing N input, compared to use of CU. The government of Nepal should promote these EENFs by removing barriers to access for the associated fertilizers and foster their use through extension.","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45600291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-04-13DOI: 10.1017/S0014479722000084
B. Dhehibi, M. Dhraief, Udo Ruediger, A. Frija, J. Werner, Lisa Straussberger, B. Rischkowsky
Summary Low and slow adoption of innovative technologies among smallholder farmers in Tunisia is a key agricultural development problem partly related to the existing technology transfer approach used in the country. The objective of this study is to analyse how to design innovative technology transfer strategies more effective in terms of increasing female and male farmers’ adoption of an improved barley variety, ‘Kounouz’, for small ruminant nutrition. A randomised controlled trial method was used with farmers in Tunisia to implement four extension treatments and to evaluate their effects on adoption of Kounouz. Difference-in-difference estimates showed that intensive agricultural trainings can significantly improve adoption of Kounouz. Technical trainings combined with economic and organisational training and female empowerment courses resulted in a higher adoption rate. This finding has important policy implications, because it suggests that ensuring more widespread and equitable adoption of improved technologies may not require changes in the research system, but rather introduction measures that ensure better access for women to gender-sensitive extension programmes given their positive impacts on technology adoption of the household.
{"title":"Impact of improved agricultural extension approaches on technology adoption: Evidence from a randomised controlled trial in rural Tunisia","authors":"B. Dhehibi, M. Dhraief, Udo Ruediger, A. Frija, J. Werner, Lisa Straussberger, B. Rischkowsky","doi":"10.1017/S0014479722000084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479722000084","url":null,"abstract":"Summary Low and slow adoption of innovative technologies among smallholder farmers in Tunisia is a key agricultural development problem partly related to the existing technology transfer approach used in the country. The objective of this study is to analyse how to design innovative technology transfer strategies more effective in terms of increasing female and male farmers’ adoption of an improved barley variety, ‘Kounouz’, for small ruminant nutrition. A randomised controlled trial method was used with farmers in Tunisia to implement four extension treatments and to evaluate their effects on adoption of Kounouz. Difference-in-difference estimates showed that intensive agricultural trainings can significantly improve adoption of Kounouz. Technical trainings combined with economic and organisational training and female empowerment courses resulted in a higher adoption rate. This finding has important policy implications, because it suggests that ensuring more widespread and equitable adoption of improved technologies may not require changes in the research system, but rather introduction measures that ensure better access for women to gender-sensitive extension programmes given their positive impacts on technology adoption of the household.","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42655958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-31DOI: 10.1017/S0014479722000114
G. Chala, S. Kassa, T. Tadele, K. Assefa, Hailemariam Teshome, G. Agegnehu, W. Abera, Degife Tibebe, G. Sileshi, T. Erkossa
Summary Nutrient deficiency is a major constraint in tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) production in Ethiopia. In the past, a blanket recommendation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers has been applied regardless of the diversity of agroecological zones and soil types. As crop responses declined with widespread deficiencies of nutrients, farmers have lost interest in applying the recommended fertilizer rates. The present study was conducted with the objective of quantifying the response of tef to different rates of N, P, potassium (K) and sulphur (S) fertilizers under balanced application of the nutrients other than the one under investigation. In each region, the same set of trials was implemented on farmers’ fields for three years. All trials were implemented on Vertisols across four agroecological zones (AEZs). The treatments were seven rates of N, six rates each of P and S and eight rates of K with a basal application of zinc (Zn) and boron (B). The results showed that the most limiting nutrient is N followed by P in each agroecological zone on the Vertisols. There was clear evidence of increases in grain yield with increasing rates of N and P, but the responses to K and S rates did not follow clear trends across AEZs. With balanced application of the other nutrients, 23–92 kg N ha−1 increased grain yield by 11–92%, while 10–40 kg P ha−1 increased yields by 12–33% over the control in the different AEZs. Based on results from dose–response models, it is concluded that the agronomic optimum rates for tef production are 69 kg N, 20 kg P, 30 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in the cool sub-moist mid-highlands and the tepid sub-humid mid highlands; 92 kg N, 30 kg P, 15 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in tepid moist mid highlands but 69 kg N, 10 kg P, 15 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in the tepid sub-moist mid highlands. On Vertisols not covered by this study, these recommendations should be subject to appropriate soil and plant analysis. We also recommend further studies on the nutrient requirement of tef on other soil types and AEZs.
营养缺乏是制约tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.))生长的主要因素。埃塞俄比亚的猪蹄生产。过去,不考虑农业生态区和土壤类型的多样性,只推荐使用氮肥和磷肥。由于普遍缺乏营养,作物反应下降,农民对施用推荐的肥料量失去了兴趣。本研究的目的是定量研究在平衡施用除所研究的营养物以外的其他营养物的情况下,tef对不同氮、磷、钾和硫的响应。在每个地区,同样的一套试验在农民的田地里实施了三年。所有试验均在四个农业生态区(aez)实施。施氮量为7份,磷、硫各6份,钾8份,以锌、硼为基肥。结果表明,在垂直土壤上,各农业生态区氮素限制最大,磷次之。有明显的证据表明,粮食产量随氮、磷施用量的增加而增加,但对钾、硫施用量的响应在经济专用区之间没有明显的趋势。在均衡施用其他养分的情况下,在不同经济区域,施用23 ~ 92 kg N hm−1比对照增产11 ~ 92%,施用10 ~ 40 kg P hm−1比对照增产12 ~ 33%。结果表明,低温亚湿润型中高原和温和亚湿润型中高原的最佳农艺产量为69 kg N、20 kg P、30 kg K和10 kg S ha−1;中度湿润的中部高原为92 kg N、30 kg P、15 kg K和10 kg S ha−1,而中度湿润的中部高原为69 kg N、10 kg P、15 kg K和10 kg S ha−1。对于本研究未涉及的农药,这些建议应以适当的土壤和植物分析为基础。建议进一步研究tef在其他土壤类型和经济隔离区的养分需求。
{"title":"Yield response of tef (Eragrostis tef) to nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur under balanced fertilization on Vertisols in different agroecological zones of Ethiopia","authors":"G. Chala, S. Kassa, T. Tadele, K. Assefa, Hailemariam Teshome, G. Agegnehu, W. Abera, Degife Tibebe, G. Sileshi, T. Erkossa","doi":"10.1017/S0014479722000114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479722000114","url":null,"abstract":"Summary Nutrient deficiency is a major constraint in tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) production in Ethiopia. In the past, a blanket recommendation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers has been applied regardless of the diversity of agroecological zones and soil types. As crop responses declined with widespread deficiencies of nutrients, farmers have lost interest in applying the recommended fertilizer rates. The present study was conducted with the objective of quantifying the response of tef to different rates of N, P, potassium (K) and sulphur (S) fertilizers under balanced application of the nutrients other than the one under investigation. In each region, the same set of trials was implemented on farmers’ fields for three years. All trials were implemented on Vertisols across four agroecological zones (AEZs). The treatments were seven rates of N, six rates each of P and S and eight rates of K with a basal application of zinc (Zn) and boron (B). The results showed that the most limiting nutrient is N followed by P in each agroecological zone on the Vertisols. There was clear evidence of increases in grain yield with increasing rates of N and P, but the responses to K and S rates did not follow clear trends across AEZs. With balanced application of the other nutrients, 23–92 kg N ha−1 increased grain yield by 11–92%, while 10–40 kg P ha−1 increased yields by 12–33% over the control in the different AEZs. Based on results from dose–response models, it is concluded that the agronomic optimum rates for tef production are 69 kg N, 20 kg P, 30 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in the cool sub-moist mid-highlands and the tepid sub-humid mid highlands; 92 kg N, 30 kg P, 15 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in tepid moist mid highlands but 69 kg N, 10 kg P, 15 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in the tepid sub-moist mid highlands. On Vertisols not covered by this study, these recommendations should be subject to appropriate soil and plant analysis. We also recommend further studies on the nutrient requirement of tef on other soil types and AEZs.","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42232598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-22DOI: 10.1017/S0014479722000035
I. Bekele, B. Lulie, M. Habte, Shiferaw Boke, G. Hailu, Estifanos H. Mariam, J. S. Ahmed, W. Abera, G. Sileshi
Summary The use of fertilizers in balanced and adequate amounts is a prerequisite for increasing crop productivity and production. Unbalanced plant nutrient management continues to be a major factor contributing to low maize (Zea mays L.) yields due to lack of information on the dose–responses to macronutrients on different soil types in Ethiopia. This study was carried out to quantify maize yield response and agronomic efficiency of varying application rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) under balanced application of other nutrients across two soil types in Ethiopia. Field trials were set up on 29 farmers’ fields in four districts of Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) for three consecutive cropping seasons (2014–2017). The treatments consisted of six rates of N, P and S each and eight rates of K combined with balanced application of the remaining macronutrients, zinc (Zn) and boron (B). The treatments were laid out in randomised complete blocks design with three replicates per farm. Using nutrient dose–response modelling, the agronomic optimum rates of N, P, K and S were estimated at 46, 40, 17 and 10 kg ha−1 on Nitisols, with balanced application of the other nutrients. On Andosols, the optimum rates of N, P and S were estimated at 184, 20 and 30 kg ha−1, respectively, but the optimum K rate could not be estimated. The predicted maximum yields obtained with balanced nutrient application were lower on Andosols (3397–3640 kg ha−1) than on Nitisols (4630–6094 kg ha−1). Using the Mitscherlich dose–response model, the percentage deficiencies of N, P, K and S were estimated to be 1.3–3.3 times more on Nitisols than Andosols. Consequently, agronomic efficiencies of N, P, K and S were significantly lower on Andosols than on Nitisols. It is concluded that balanced application of 46 kg N ha−1, 40 kg P ha−1, 17 kg K ha−1, 10 kg ha−1 S, 2 kg Zn ha−1 and 0.5 kg B ha−1 could be recommended for maize on Nitisols in the study area. Although this recommendation may also apply to Andosol, further research is needed as the productivity of Andosols appears to be limited by constrains other than N, P, K, S, Zn and B. We also recommend a shift from the blanket fertilizer recommendations to site-specific nutrient management based on good understanding of the variations in crop response with soil type and agroecology and appropriate soil and plant analyses.
均衡、充足地使用肥料是提高作物生产力和产量的先决条件。由于缺乏埃塞俄比亚不同土壤类型对大量养分的剂量响应信息,不平衡的植物养分管理仍然是导致玉米(Zea mays L.)产量低的一个主要因素。本研究旨在量化埃塞俄比亚两种土壤类型在平衡施用其他养分的情况下,不同施氮量、磷量、钾量和硫量对玉米产量的响应和农艺效率。在奥罗米亚州和南部国家、民族和民族区(SNNPR) 4个区29块农民田间进行了连续3个种植季(2014-2017年)的田间试验。各施氮、磷、硫6个处理,施钾8个处理,同时平衡施用其余大量营养元素锌和硼。处理采用完全随机区组设计,每个农场3个重复。利用养分剂量响应模型,估算了硝土上氮、磷、钾和硫的最佳农艺施用量为46、40、17和10 kg ha - 1,同时均衡施用其他养分。在安多索上,氮、磷和硫的最佳施用量分别为184、20和30 kg ha - 1,但钾的最佳施用量无法估计。平衡施肥条件下,安多索的最大产量(3397 ~ 3640 kg ha - 1)低于硝土(4630 ~ 6094 kg ha - 1)。利用Mitscherlich剂量-响应模型估计,硝硝沙的N、P、K和S缺乏率是安多沙的1.3-3.3倍。因此,氮、磷、钾和硫在安土上的农艺效率显著低于硝土。综上所述,研究区氮素- 1 46 kg、磷素- 1 40 kg、钾素- 1 17 kg、硫素- 1 10 kg、锌- 1 2 kg、硼- 1 0.5 kg可均衡施用。虽然这一建议可能也适用于安土,但还需要进一步的研究,因为安土的生产力似乎受到氮、磷、钾、硫、锌和硼以外的制约因素的限制。我们还建议,在充分了解作物对土壤类型和农业生态学反应的变化以及适当的土壤和植物分析的基础上,从地膜施肥建议转向特定地点的养分管理。
{"title":"Response of maize yield to nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur rates on Andosols and Nitisols in Ethiopia","authors":"I. Bekele, B. Lulie, M. Habte, Shiferaw Boke, G. Hailu, Estifanos H. Mariam, J. S. Ahmed, W. Abera, G. Sileshi","doi":"10.1017/S0014479722000035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479722000035","url":null,"abstract":"Summary The use of fertilizers in balanced and adequate amounts is a prerequisite for increasing crop productivity and production. Unbalanced plant nutrient management continues to be a major factor contributing to low maize (Zea mays L.) yields due to lack of information on the dose–responses to macronutrients on different soil types in Ethiopia. This study was carried out to quantify maize yield response and agronomic efficiency of varying application rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) under balanced application of other nutrients across two soil types in Ethiopia. Field trials were set up on 29 farmers’ fields in four districts of Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) for three consecutive cropping seasons (2014–2017). The treatments consisted of six rates of N, P and S each and eight rates of K combined with balanced application of the remaining macronutrients, zinc (Zn) and boron (B). The treatments were laid out in randomised complete blocks design with three replicates per farm. Using nutrient dose–response modelling, the agronomic optimum rates of N, P, K and S were estimated at 46, 40, 17 and 10 kg ha−1 on Nitisols, with balanced application of the other nutrients. On Andosols, the optimum rates of N, P and S were estimated at 184, 20 and 30 kg ha−1, respectively, but the optimum K rate could not be estimated. The predicted maximum yields obtained with balanced nutrient application were lower on Andosols (3397–3640 kg ha−1) than on Nitisols (4630–6094 kg ha−1). Using the Mitscherlich dose–response model, the percentage deficiencies of N, P, K and S were estimated to be 1.3–3.3 times more on Nitisols than Andosols. Consequently, agronomic efficiencies of N, P, K and S were significantly lower on Andosols than on Nitisols. It is concluded that balanced application of 46 kg N ha−1, 40 kg P ha−1, 17 kg K ha−1, 10 kg ha−1 S, 2 kg Zn ha−1 and 0.5 kg B ha−1 could be recommended for maize on Nitisols in the study area. Although this recommendation may also apply to Andosol, further research is needed as the productivity of Andosols appears to be limited by constrains other than N, P, K, S, Zn and B. We also recommend a shift from the blanket fertilizer recommendations to site-specific nutrient management based on good understanding of the variations in crop response with soil type and agroecology and appropriate soil and plant analyses.","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43279242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-11DOI: 10.1017/S0014479722000047
W. Abera, L. Tamene, K. Tesfaye, Daniel Jiménez, Hugo Dorado, T. Erkossa, J. Kihara, J. S. Ahmed, T. Amede, J. Ramirez-Villegas
Summary The use of chemical fertilizers is among the main innovations brought by the 1960s Green Revolution. In Ethiopia, fertilizer application during the last four decades has led to significant yield gains, yet yield remains below its potential across much of the country. One of the main challenges responsible for low yield response to fertilizer application has been the use of ‘blanket’ recommendations, whereby no tailoring of fertilizer amount and frequency is done based on soil requirements. As a result, the amount of fertilizer applied ranges widely, and can be either sub- or supra-optimal. There is thus an increasing need for site-specific fertilizer recommendations which take into account site characteristics such as climate variables (temperature, rainfall, and solar radiation); soil factors (soil organic carbon, moisture, pH, texture, cation exchange capacity, and level of macro- and micronutrients); and topographic position indices. This article reports on a data-mining approach we developed on a large dataset of 6585 wheat (Triticum aestivum) field trials. The dataset includes detailed, site-specific biophysical variables to create nutrient response functions that can guide optimal site-specific fertilizer application. The approach used a machine-learning model (random forest) to capture the relationship between nutrients – nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) – and wheat yield. The model explained about 83, 82, 47, and 69% of variances of yield for N, P, K, and S omission, respectively, with consistent performance across training and testing datasets. Expectedly, for N and P omission data, the most important explanatory variables are nutrient rate, followed by soil organic carbon and soil pH. For K and S, however, climatic variables played an important role alongside nutrient rates. The site-specific yield–fertilizer response curves derived from our model are highly variable from location to location, as they are affected by the climatic, soil, or topographic conditions of the site. Importantly, using principal component analysis, we showed that the shape of the fertilizer response curves is a result of the multiple environmental factors (including soil, topography, and climate) that are at play at a given site, rather than of a specific dominant one. The research output is expected to respond to the national policy demands for a sound method to identify the optimal fertilizer rate to increase economic returns of fertilizer investments and take fertilizer utilization research one step further.
{"title":"A data-mining approach for developing site-specific fertilizer response functions across the wheat-growing environments in Ethiopia","authors":"W. Abera, L. Tamene, K. Tesfaye, Daniel Jiménez, Hugo Dorado, T. Erkossa, J. Kihara, J. S. Ahmed, T. Amede, J. Ramirez-Villegas","doi":"10.1017/S0014479722000047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479722000047","url":null,"abstract":"Summary The use of chemical fertilizers is among the main innovations brought by the 1960s Green Revolution. In Ethiopia, fertilizer application during the last four decades has led to significant yield gains, yet yield remains below its potential across much of the country. One of the main challenges responsible for low yield response to fertilizer application has been the use of ‘blanket’ recommendations, whereby no tailoring of fertilizer amount and frequency is done based on soil requirements. As a result, the amount of fertilizer applied ranges widely, and can be either sub- or supra-optimal. There is thus an increasing need for site-specific fertilizer recommendations which take into account site characteristics such as climate variables (temperature, rainfall, and solar radiation); soil factors (soil organic carbon, moisture, pH, texture, cation exchange capacity, and level of macro- and micronutrients); and topographic position indices. This article reports on a data-mining approach we developed on a large dataset of 6585 wheat (Triticum aestivum) field trials. The dataset includes detailed, site-specific biophysical variables to create nutrient response functions that can guide optimal site-specific fertilizer application. The approach used a machine-learning model (random forest) to capture the relationship between nutrients – nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) – and wheat yield. The model explained about 83, 82, 47, and 69% of variances of yield for N, P, K, and S omission, respectively, with consistent performance across training and testing datasets. Expectedly, for N and P omission data, the most important explanatory variables are nutrient rate, followed by soil organic carbon and soil pH. For K and S, however, climatic variables played an important role alongside nutrient rates. The site-specific yield–fertilizer response curves derived from our model are highly variable from location to location, as they are affected by the climatic, soil, or topographic conditions of the site. Importantly, using principal component analysis, we showed that the shape of the fertilizer response curves is a result of the multiple environmental factors (including soil, topography, and climate) that are at play at a given site, rather than of a specific dominant one. The research output is expected to respond to the national policy demands for a sound method to identify the optimal fertilizer rate to increase economic returns of fertilizer investments and take fertilizer utilization research one step further.","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46838247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-11DOI: 10.1017/S0014479722000072
G. Desta, T. Amede, Tadesse Gashaw, G. Legesse, G. Agegnehu, Kindu Mekonnen, A. Whitbread
Summary Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the major cereal crop used as staple crop in the arid and semi-arid regions of Ethiopia. Low sorghum yields are attributed to soil, climate and topographic factors. We investigated sorghum yield response to factorial combination of nitrogen and phosphorous (NP) as well as potassium (K), sulphur (S) and zinc (Zn), and how the position of farmers’ fields belonging to different landscape positions (i.e., upslope, mid-slope, and foot slope) could explain fertilizer response and yield variability. The analysis in this study made use of dataset from two sets of on-farm experiments where trials were set at two farmers’ fields for NPKS and three farmers’ fields for NPZn experiments in each landscape position. The experiments were implemented at two sorghum-growing locations (i.e., Hayk and Sirinka) in parts of the north-eastern Amhara region in Ethiopia. Sorghum yield response to fertilizer application was strongly linked to the spatial variation along landscape positions and varied over locations. Fertilizer response was significantly higher at foot slopes compared to mid-slopes and upslope positions, where fields at foot slopes exhibited relatively homogeneous responses. Application of combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers, landscape position and the interaction of fertilizer application and landscape positions strongly affected sorghum yield. There was a linear and significant increase in sorghum yield with the increase in the NP rates. The combined application of NP with different levels of KS as well as NP with Zn fertilizer rates did not result in significant yield difference. The results indicated that local factors were much more influential when accounting for the heterogeneity in sorghum yield response to fertilizer. This further acknowledges the importance of a landscape-based fertilizer management approach to respond yield potential variability related with the farmers’ fields and landscape environment. Further investigation is needed to develop homogeneous fertilizer response units based on spatial variability of soil and topographic attributes along the landscape.
{"title":"Sorghum yield response to NPKS and NPZn nutrients along sorghum-growing landscapes","authors":"G. Desta, T. Amede, Tadesse Gashaw, G. Legesse, G. Agegnehu, Kindu Mekonnen, A. Whitbread","doi":"10.1017/S0014479722000072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479722000072","url":null,"abstract":"Summary Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the major cereal crop used as staple crop in the arid and semi-arid regions of Ethiopia. Low sorghum yields are attributed to soil, climate and topographic factors. We investigated sorghum yield response to factorial combination of nitrogen and phosphorous (NP) as well as potassium (K), sulphur (S) and zinc (Zn), and how the position of farmers’ fields belonging to different landscape positions (i.e., upslope, mid-slope, and foot slope) could explain fertilizer response and yield variability. The analysis in this study made use of dataset from two sets of on-farm experiments where trials were set at two farmers’ fields for NPKS and three farmers’ fields for NPZn experiments in each landscape position. The experiments were implemented at two sorghum-growing locations (i.e., Hayk and Sirinka) in parts of the north-eastern Amhara region in Ethiopia. Sorghum yield response to fertilizer application was strongly linked to the spatial variation along landscape positions and varied over locations. Fertilizer response was significantly higher at foot slopes compared to mid-slopes and upslope positions, where fields at foot slopes exhibited relatively homogeneous responses. Application of combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers, landscape position and the interaction of fertilizer application and landscape positions strongly affected sorghum yield. There was a linear and significant increase in sorghum yield with the increase in the NP rates. The combined application of NP with different levels of KS as well as NP with Zn fertilizer rates did not result in significant yield difference. The results indicated that local factors were much more influential when accounting for the heterogeneity in sorghum yield response to fertilizer. This further acknowledges the importance of a landscape-based fertilizer management approach to respond yield potential variability related with the farmers’ fields and landscape environment. Further investigation is needed to develop homogeneous fertilizer response units based on spatial variability of soil and topographic attributes along the landscape.","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43921913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-08DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2021.08005
Hua Ping, Fang Zhao, Cheng Li, Beihong Wang, Hongling Kong, Yang Li, Zhihong Ma
<p><p>Glyphosate (GLY) and glufosinate (GLUF) are non-selective translocated herbicides that are used in agricultural and non-agricultural land worldwide. The extensive use of GLY and GLUF may lead to their accumulation in soil, which causes soil pollution and affects the soil micro-ecological environment; the accumulated GLY and GLUF also migrate to groundwater via leaching. However, GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites are highly water-soluble and lack chromogenic and fluorescent groups, making them difficult to analyze. Currently, derivatization methods are mostly used to detect GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites. However, these methods also have some drawbacks, such as complex operation, long time consumption, and poor stability. In addition, these compounds are easily passivated and made inactive in soil; they also react with organic matter, humic acid, metal oxides, and heavy metal ions, making their extraction from soil difficult. To date, the method for the determination of GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites in soil is limited. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a quick and sensitive method to determine the residues of GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites in soil. In this study, a high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites in soil. Parameters like extraction solvent, extraction temperature, extraction time, and adsorbents, which affected the extraction efficiencies, were optimized. Finally, the soil samples were extracted with 0.5 mol/L ammonia solution in a bath shaker at 50 ℃, and then centrifuged at 10000 r/min for 5 min. The supernatant was filtered through 0.2-μm syringe filters and then determined by HPLC-MS/MS. A Dikma Polyamino HILIC column (150 mm×2.0 mm, 5 μm) was used for chromatographic separation with good peak shape and high response of the target compounds. Ammonium acetate (0.2 mmol/L) with 0.07% ammonia aqueous solution and acetonitrile were used as the mobile phase. The flow rate of the elute was 0.25 mL/min. MS/MS was conducted under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using an electrospray ionization (ESI) source, and was quantified by the external standard method using matrix-matched calibration curves. All the target compounds were ionized in the negative ionization mode. The linear ranges of GLY and its metabolites were between 5.0 and 500 μg/L, and those of GLUF and its metabolites were between 2.0 and 500 μg/L. Linear correlation coefficients were greater than 0.99. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were assessed using signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios of 3 and 10, respectively. The LOD and LOQ values of both GLY and (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid (AMPA) were 4.0 and 13.3 μg/kg, respectively. The LOD and LOQ values of GLUF, MPP, and N-acetyl glufosinate (NAG) were 2.0 and 6.7 μg/kg, respectively. Method accuracy was acquired by recovery test at three spiked levels (0.02, 0.05, 0.2 mg/
{"title":"[Rapid and simultaneous determination of glyphosate, glufosinate, and their metabolites in soil by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].","authors":"Hua Ping, Fang Zhao, Cheng Li, Beihong Wang, Hongling Kong, Yang Li, Zhihong Ma","doi":"10.3724/SP.J.1123.2021.08005","DOIUrl":"10.3724/SP.J.1123.2021.08005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Glyphosate (GLY) and glufosinate (GLUF) are non-selective translocated herbicides that are used in agricultural and non-agricultural land worldwide. The extensive use of GLY and GLUF may lead to their accumulation in soil, which causes soil pollution and affects the soil micro-ecological environment; the accumulated GLY and GLUF also migrate to groundwater via leaching. However, GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites are highly water-soluble and lack chromogenic and fluorescent groups, making them difficult to analyze. Currently, derivatization methods are mostly used to detect GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites. However, these methods also have some drawbacks, such as complex operation, long time consumption, and poor stability. In addition, these compounds are easily passivated and made inactive in soil; they also react with organic matter, humic acid, metal oxides, and heavy metal ions, making their extraction from soil difficult. To date, the method for the determination of GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites in soil is limited. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a quick and sensitive method to determine the residues of GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites in soil. In this study, a high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of GLY, GLUF, and their metabolites in soil. Parameters like extraction solvent, extraction temperature, extraction time, and adsorbents, which affected the extraction efficiencies, were optimized. Finally, the soil samples were extracted with 0.5 mol/L ammonia solution in a bath shaker at 50 ℃, and then centrifuged at 10000 r/min for 5 min. The supernatant was filtered through 0.2-μm syringe filters and then determined by HPLC-MS/MS. A Dikma Polyamino HILIC column (150 mm×2.0 mm, 5 μm) was used for chromatographic separation with good peak shape and high response of the target compounds. Ammonium acetate (0.2 mmol/L) with 0.07% ammonia aqueous solution and acetonitrile were used as the mobile phase. The flow rate of the elute was 0.25 mL/min. MS/MS was conducted under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using an electrospray ionization (ESI) source, and was quantified by the external standard method using matrix-matched calibration curves. All the target compounds were ionized in the negative ionization mode. The linear ranges of GLY and its metabolites were between 5.0 and 500 μg/L, and those of GLUF and its metabolites were between 2.0 and 500 μg/L. Linear correlation coefficients were greater than 0.99. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were assessed using signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios of 3 and 10, respectively. The LOD and LOQ values of both GLY and (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid (AMPA) were 4.0 and 13.3 μg/kg, respectively. The LOD and LOQ values of GLUF, MPP, and N-acetyl glufosinate (NAG) were 2.0 and 6.7 μg/kg, respectively. Method accuracy was acquired by recovery test at three spiked levels (0.02, 0.05, 0.2 mg/","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":"31 1","pages":"273-280"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2022-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9404154/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78993812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-02-23DOI: 10.1017/s0014479722000059
Xiang Yang, T. Vancov, J. Peñuelas, J. Sardans, A. Singla, A. Alrefaei, Xuening Song, Yunying Fang, Weiqi Wang
{"title":"Optimal biochar application rates for mitigating global warming and increasing rice yield in a subtropical paddy field – ERRATUM","authors":"Xiang Yang, T. Vancov, J. Peñuelas, J. Sardans, A. Singla, A. Alrefaei, Xuening Song, Yunying Fang, Weiqi Wang","doi":"10.1017/s0014479722000059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0014479722000059","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41563840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-02-21DOI: 10.1017/S0014479721000314
D. Whittard, F. Ritchie, R. Musker, M. Rose
Summary The study at hand measures the value of improving data governance and access in the Supporting Soil Health Interventions (SSHI) project in Ethiopia. We applied two separate but interlinked models, one qualitative and one quantitative, to create a new framework enhancing the traditional cost–benefit analysis. The qualitative analysis provided novel insights into the specific types of value and the mechanisms through which they are generated. These results underpinned the development of an innovative framework to measure this perceived value quantitatively. By combining the quantitative and qualitative framework, the study demonstrated that it is possible to generate plausible and credible quantitative estimates of both costs and benefits of data governance and access. While acknowledging that the estimates are only illustrative, the case study results suggested on a direct cost measure, at a particular point in time, the SSHI data governance activities yielded a negative return. However, indirect social and public benefits are rarely quantified, but this paper shows that relatively few “indirect” benefits (current but unmeasured, or measurable but in the future) are necessary to reverse that view, at least from the point of the economy more generally.
{"title":"Measuring the value of data governance in agricultural investments: A case study","authors":"D. Whittard, F. Ritchie, R. Musker, M. Rose","doi":"10.1017/S0014479721000314","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479721000314","url":null,"abstract":"Summary The study at hand measures the value of improving data governance and access in the Supporting Soil Health Interventions (SSHI) project in Ethiopia. We applied two separate but interlinked models, one qualitative and one quantitative, to create a new framework enhancing the traditional cost–benefit analysis. The qualitative analysis provided novel insights into the specific types of value and the mechanisms through which they are generated. These results underpinned the development of an innovative framework to measure this perceived value quantitatively. By combining the quantitative and qualitative framework, the study demonstrated that it is possible to generate plausible and credible quantitative estimates of both costs and benefits of data governance and access. While acknowledging that the estimates are only illustrative, the case study results suggested on a direct cost measure, at a particular point in time, the SSHI data governance activities yielded a negative return. However, indirect social and public benefits are rarely quantified, but this paper shows that relatively few “indirect” benefits (current but unmeasured, or measurable but in the future) are necessary to reverse that view, at least from the point of the economy more generally.","PeriodicalId":12245,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Agriculture","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43974639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}