Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Nitrogen dynamics and nitrous oxide emissions in a long-term trial on integrated soil fertility management in Western Kenya

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) is a concept that includes the management of organic matter in smallholder farming systems for sustainable intensification. To determine whether ISFM is also eco-efficient, we measured and simulated nitrogen (N)-dynamics and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in an ISFM long-term maize trial in Western Kenya. The total annual N-balance averaged over 10.5 years was negative for all continuous maize treatments that received only inorganic N-fertilizer. The N-balance was zero or positive when maize was grown in rotation with the green manure cover crop, Tephrosia candid, and/or to which 4 Mg ha−1 season−1 farm yard manure (FYM) added. These results thus substantiate the importance of organic matter management in tropical ecosystems. They also underpin that mineral N-fertilizer application alone does not guarantee agro-ecosystem sustainability, which should be considered in fertilizer (subsidy) policies. Treatments that included Tephrosia and FYM application emitted the largest amounts of N2O. Highest emissions (12.0 kg N2O–N ha−1) were simulated for the maize–Tephrosia rotation to which FYM and 30 kg ha−1 of mineral fertilizer N was added and 2 Mg ha−1 maize stovers retained. Such treatments had the highest N-emission intensity. The slope of the linear regression equation describing the N2O emission–N-input relationship of all considered treatments (0.023) was twice as high as the IPCC-Tier-1 emission factor. Maize–Tephrosia treatments had the highest seasonal maize yields. These were, however, not high enough to compensate for the inclusion of Tephrosia into the system as compared to growing maize continuously, compromising adoption by smallholder farmers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baggs EM, Rees RM, Smith KA, Vinten AJA (2000) Nitrous oxide emission from soils after incorporating crop residues. Soil Use Manag 16:82–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baggs EM, Chebii J, Ndufa JK (2006) A short-term investigation of trace gas emissions following tillage and no-tillage of agroforestry residues in western Kenya. Soil Tillage Res 90:69–67

  • Bationo A, Waswa B, Kihara J, Kimetu J (eds) (2007) Advances in integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities. Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Bationo A, Kihara J, Adesina A (2012) Beyond biophysical recommendations: towards a new paradigm. In: Kihara J et al (eds) Improving soil fertility recommendations in Africa using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT). Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp 169–184

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bellarby J, Stirling C, Veter SH, Menale K, Kanampiu F, Sonder K, Smith P, Hillier J (2013) Identifying secure and low carbon food production practices: a case study in Kenya and Ethiopia. Agric Ecosyst Environ 197:137–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brümmer C, Brüggemann N, Butterbach-Bahl K, Falk U, Szarzynski J, Vielhauer K, Wassmann R, Papen H (2008) Soil-atmosphere exchange of N2O and NO in near-natural savanna and agricultural land in Burkina Faso (W. Africa). Ecosystems 11:582–600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cassman KG, Daugherty RB (2012) Foreword. In: Hershey CH, Neate P (eds) Eco-efficiency: from vision to reality (Issues in Tropical Agriculture series) - Cali, CO: Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), 2013. p 252

  • Chen H, Li X, Hu F, Shi W (2013) Soil nitrous oxide emissions following crop residue addition: a meta-analysis. Glob Change Biol 19:2956–2964

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chikowo R, Mapfumo P, Nyamugafata P, Giller KE (2004) Mineral N dynamics, leaching and nitrous oxide losses under maize following two-year improved fallows on a sandy loam soil in Zimbabwe. Plant Soil 259:315–330

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chikowo R, Mapfumo P, Leffelaar PA, Giller KE (2006) Integrating legumes to improve N cycling on smallholder farms in sub-humid Zimbabwe: resource quality, biophysical and environmental limitations. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 76:219–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chirinda N, Kracher D, Lægdsmand M, Porter JR, Olesen JE, Petersen BM, Doltra J, Kiese R, Butterbach-Bahl K (2011) Simulating soil N2O emissions and heterotrophic CO2 respiration in arable systems using FASSET and MoBiLE-DNDC. Plant Soil 343:139–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • CIAT (Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical) (2009) CIAT’s medium-term plan 2010–2012. Cali, Colombia. www.ciat.cgiar.org/AboutUs/Documents/mtp_2010_2012_jun09_full_version.pdf

  • Confalonieri R, Gusberti D, Bocchi S, Acutis M (2006) The CropSyst model to simulate the N balance of rice for alternative management. Agron Sustain Dev 26:241–249

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Desjardins LR, Smith W, Grant B, Campbell B, Riznek R (2005) Management strategies to sequester carbon in agricultural soils and to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Clim Change 70:283–297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dick J, Kaya B, Soutoura M, Skiba U, Smith R, Niang A, Tabo R (2008) The contribution of agricultural practices to nitrous oxide emissions in semi-arid Mali. Soil Use Manag 24:292–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAOSTAT (2014) Resources statistics for Emissions. http://faostat.fao.org/site/704/default.aspx

  • Hickman JE, Havlikova M, Kroeze C, Palm CA (2011) Current and future nitrous oxide emissions from African agriculture. Curr Opin Environ Sustain 3:370–378

  • Hoben JP, Gehl RJ, Millar N, Grace PR, Robertson GP (2011) Nonlinear nitrous oxide (N2O) response to nitrogen fertilizer in on-farm corn crops of the US Midwest. Glob Change Biol 17:1140–1152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IFDC (2006) Agricultural production and soil nutrient mining in Africa. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8929-soil-health-crisis-threatens-africas-food-supply.html

  • IPCC (2006) In: Eggleston HS, Buendia L, Miwa K, Ngara T, Tanabe K (eds) IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. IGES, Hayama

  • IPCC (2014) Working group III—mitigation of climate change. Chapter 11 Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU). http://report.mitigation2014.org/drafts/final-draft-postplenary/ipcc_wg3_ar5_final-draft_postplenary_chapter11.pdf

  • Jelinski N, Mukalama J, Winowiecki L, Margenot A, Sommer R (2015) Classifying soils of CIAT’s long-term trials in Western Kenya. CIAT, Nairobi (unpublished)

  • Kihara J, Njoroge S (2013) Phosphorus agronomic efficiency in maize-based cropping systems: a focus on western Kenya. Field Crops Research 150:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kihara J, Nziguheba G, Huising J, Chen J, Walsh M (2012) Understanding variability in crop response to fertiliser and amendments: Example from SSA. Paper presented at the Tropentag 2012 “Resilience of agricultural systems against crises”, September 19–21, Göttingen, Germany. http://www.tropentag.de/2012/abstracts/links/Kihara_iAiXGWi9.php

  • Kimetu JM, Mugendi DN, Bationo A, Palm CA, Mutuo PK, Kihara J, Nandwa S, Giller K (2006) Partial balance of nitrogen in a maize cropping system in Humic Nitisol of Central Kenya. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 76:261–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kruger C, Yorgey G, Chen S, Collins H, Feise C, Frear C, Granatstein D, Higgins S, Huggins D, MacConnell C, Painter K, Stöckle C (2010) Climate friendly farming: improving the carbon footprint of agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. CSANR research report 2010-001. Washington State University. http://csanr.wsu.edu/pages/Climate-Friendly-Farming-Final-Report/

  • Li C, Frolking S, Butterbach-Bahl K (2005) Carbon sequestration in arable soils is likely to increase nitrous oxide emissions, offsetting reductions in climate radiative forcing. Clim Change 72:321–338

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liua J, You L, Amini M, Obersteiner M, Herrero M, Zehnder AJB, Yang H (2010) A high-resolution assessment on global nitrogen flows in cropland. PNAS 10:8035–8040

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mapanda F, Wuta M, Nyamangara J, Rees RM (2011) Effects of organic and mineral fertilizer nitrogen on greenhouse gas emissions and plant-captured carbon under maize cropping in Zimbabwe. Plant Soil 343:67–81

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marchetti R, Donatelli M, Spallacci P (1997) Testing denitrification functions of dynamic crop models. J Environ Qual 26:394–401

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martre P et al (2014) Multimodel ensembles of wheat growth: many models are better than one. Glob Change Biol. doi:10.1111/gcb.12768

    Google Scholar 

  • Millar N, Ndufa JK, Cadisch G, Baggs EM (2004) Nitrous oxide emissions following incorporation of improved-fallow residues in the humid tropics. Global Biogeochem Cycles. doi:10.1029/2003GB002114

    Google Scholar 

  • Minasny B, Hartemink AE (2011) Predicting soil properties in the tropics. Earth Sci Rev 106:52–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mokhtarpour H, Teh CBS, Saleh G, Selamat AB, Asadi ME, Kamkar B (2010) Non-destructive estimation of maize leaf area, fresh weight, dry weight using leaf length and leaf width. Commun Biometry Crop Sci 5:19–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Nash JE, Sutcliffe JV (1970) River flow forecasting through conceptual models I: a discussion of principles. J Hydrol 10:282–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nature (2012) Food for thought. In the short term, chemical fertilizers are the best way to feed Africa. Editor Nat 483:510

    Google Scholar 

  • Ngwira AR, Aune JB, Thierfelder C (2014) DSSAT modelling of conservation agriculture maize response to climate change in Malawi. Soil Tillage Res 143:85–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parton WJ, Ojima DS, Cole CV, Schimel, DS (1994) A general model for soil organic matter dynamics: sensitivity to litter chemistry, texture and management. In: Quantitative modeling of soil forming processes, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 147–167

  • Pretty J, Toulmin C, Williams S (2011) Sustainable intensification in African agriculture. Int J Agric Sustain 9:5–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reay DS, Davidson EA, Smith KA, Smith P, Melillo JM, Dentener F, Crutzen PJ (2012) Global agriculture and nitrous oxide emissions. Nat Clim Change. doi:10.1038/NCLIMATE1458

    Google Scholar 

  • Rochette P, Eriksen-Hamel NS (2008) Chamber measurements of soil nitrous oxide flux: are absolute values reliable? Soil Sci. Soc Am J 72:331–342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenstock TS, Rufino MC, Butterbach-Bahl K, Wollenberg E (2013) Toward a protocol for quantifying the greenhouse gas balance and identifying mitigation options in smallholder farming systems. Environ Res Lett. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/2/021003

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutunga V, Karanja NK, Gachene CKK, Palm C (1999) Biomass production and nutrient accumulation by Tephrosia vogelii (Hemsley) A. Gray and Tithonia diversifolia Hook F. fallows during the six-month growth period at Maseno, Western Kenya. Biotechnol Agron Soc Environ 3:237–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Scheehle EA, Kruger D (2006) Global anthropogenic methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Energy J (Multi-Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Climate Policy Special Issue)

  • Sommer R, Wall PC, Govaerts B (2007) Model-based assessment of maize cropping under conventional and conservation agriculture in highland Mexico. Soil Tillage Res 94:83–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sommer R, Glazirina M, Yuldashev T, Otarov A, Ibraeva M, Martynova L, Bekenov M, Kholov B, Ibragimov N, Kobilov R, Karaev S, Sultonov M, Khasanova F, Esanbekov M, Mavlyanov D, Isaev S, Abdurahimov S, Ikramov R, Shezdyukova L, de Pauw E (2013) Impact of climate change on wheat productivity in Central Asia. Agric Ecosyst Environ 178:78–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stöckle CO, Donatelli M, Nelson R (2003) CropSyst, a cropping systems simulation model. Eur J Agron 18:289–307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stöckle C, Higgins S, Kemanian A, Nelson R, Huggins D, Marcos J, Collins H (2012) Carbon storage and nitrous oxide emissions of cropping systems in eastern Washington: a simulation study. J Soil Water Conserv 67:365–377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stöckle CO, Kemanian AR, Nelson RL, Adam JC, Sommer R, Carlson B (2014) CropSyst model evolution: from field to regional to global scales and from research to decision support systems. Environ Model Softw 62:361–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swift MJ, Shepherd K (2007) Saving Africa’s soil: Science and technology for improved soil management in Africa. World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi

    Google Scholar 

  • USDA-SCS (1988) National engineering handbook. USDA, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Groenigen JW, Velthof GL, Oeneme O, Van Groenigen KJ, Van Kessel C (2010) Towards an agronomic assessment of N2O emissions: a case study for arable crops Eur. J Soil Sci 61:903–913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanlauwe B, Descheemaeker K, Giller KE, Huising J, Merckx R, Nziguheba G, Wendt J, Zingore S (2014a) Integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa: unravelling local adaptation. Soil Discuss 1:1239–1286. doi:10.5194/soild-1-1239-2014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanlauwe B, Coyne D, Gockowski J, Hauser S, Huising J, Masso C, Nziguheba G, Schut M, Van Asten P (2014b) Sustainable intensification and the African smallholder farmer. Curr Opin Environ Sustain 8:15–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek PM, Naylor R, Crews T, David MB, Drinkwater LE, Holland E, Johnes PJ, Katzenberger J, Martinelli LA, Matson PA, Nziguheba G, Ojima D, Palm CA, Robertson GP, Sanchez PA, Townsend AR, Zhang FS (2009) Nutrient imbalances in agricultural development. Science 324:1519–1520

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White JG, Zasoski RJ (1999) Mapping soil micronutrients. Field Crops Res 60:11–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willmott CJ, Ackleson SG, Davis RE, Feddema JJ, Klink KM, Legates DR, O’Donnell J, Rowe CM (1985) Statistics for the evaluation and comparison of models. J Geophys Res 90:8995–9005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) Report of the World Commission on environment and development: our common future. United Nations. http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm

  • Zingore S, Murwira HK, Delve RJ, Giller KE (2008) Variable grain legume yields, responses to phosphorus and rotational effects on maize across soil fertility gradients on African smallholder farms. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 80:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported with funds from the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research’s (CGIAR) Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security Program (CCAFS). We are grateful to Todd Rosenstock, Margret Thiongo, Sheila Abwanda and Paul Mutuo at ICRAF for analyzing our greenhouse gas samples. Funding from the International Foundation of Science was crucial to initiate CIAT’s long-term trials in Western Kenya, including INM3, and to maintain it over the years, which is greatly appreciated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Center for Tropical Agriculture, CIAT, Nairobi, Kenya

    Rolf Sommer, John Mukalama, Job Kihara, Saidou Koala, Leigh Winowiecki & Deborah Bossio

Authors
  1. Rolf Sommer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John Mukalama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Job Kihara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Saidou Koala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Leigh Winowiecki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Deborah Bossio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rolf Sommer.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 44 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sommer, R., Mukalama, J., Kihara, J. et al. Nitrogen dynamics and nitrous oxide emissions in a long-term trial on integrated soil fertility management in Western Kenya. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 105, 229–248 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-015-9693-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-015-9693-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation