Abstract
The Quantitative Evaluation of the Fertility of Tropical Soils (QUEFTS) model recommended as a decision support tool for deriving optimal site-specific fertilizer rates for cassava has limited ability to estimate water-limited yields. We assessed potential and water-limited yields based on the light interception and utilization (LINTUL) modelling approach in order to enhance the determination of fertilizer requirements for cassava production in Southern Togo. Data collected in 2 years field experiments in Sevekpota and Djakakope were used. Potential ranged from 12.2 to 17.6 Mg ha−1, and water-limited yields from 10.4 to 14.5 Mg ha−1. The simulated average fertilizer requirements were 121 kg N, 2 kg P and no K ha−1 for a target yield of 9.3 Mg ha−1 at Sevekpota, and 103 kg N, 6 kg P and 175 kg K ha−1 for a target yield of 9.7 Mg ha−1 at Djakakope. The variability of fertilizer requirements was attributed to differences in indigenous soil fertility and water-limited yields. The latter correlated well with rainfall variability over years and sites. Integrating LINTUL output with QUEFTS helped account for location-specific weather seasonal variability and enhanced assessment of fertilizer requirement for cassava production in Southern Togo.
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Acknowledgements
The financial support for this study was provided by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to whom we are grateful. We also thank K. Koukoudé, K. Gbedevi and E. Kpodo for supporting data collection.
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Ezui, K.S., Leffelaar, P.A., Franke, A.C., Mando, A., Giller, K.E. (2018). Decision Support System for Site-Specific Fertilizer Recommendations in Cassava Production in Southern Togo. In: Bationo, A., Ngaradoum, D., Youl, S., Lompo, F., Fening, J. (eds) Improving the Profitability, Sustainability and Efficiency of Nutrients Through Site Specific Fertilizer Recommendations in West Africa Agro-Ecosystems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58792-9_8
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