Browsing by Author "Yobele, A. B."

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    Soil-inorganic nitrogen changes in rice fields under selected crop management interventions and hydrological conditions in Kilombero Floodplain, Tanzania
    (Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2017) Yobele, A. B.
    A study was conducted at Ifakara Morogoro Region with a purpose of investigating the effect of selected crop management interventions and hydrological conditions on soil NH4+ and NO3- content. Study sites were located at Valley Middle and Fringe sites as distinct hydrological zones. An experiment, in a complete Randomized block design, with six treatments: Semi-natural vegetation (TR1), Farmers practice (TR2), bunding alone (TR3), bunding + 60 kgN/ha (TR4), bunding + 120 kgN/ha (TR5) and bunding+Lablab green manure (TR6) was laid down in three replicates. SARO 5 rice variety was used as a test-crop. The trials were set during the 2014/15 pre-season and 2015/16 main season. Data was collected from 0-10cm soil depth. A Two-way ANOVA and post hoc – Tukey HD test statistical analyses were performed using GenStat Programme. Pre-season NH4+ showed 3 patterns: initial increase to peak values within 3 and 6 weeks for the Fringe and Middle sites, a period of decline (7th to 9th week, Middle, and 4th to 6th Fringe) and a period of increase (from 7th, Fringe and 10th week, Middle). Highest peak NH4+ values were at the Middle site (TR6 - 0.007401, TR5 - 0.004776, and TR4 - 0.04525, g/kg soil and TR4 - 0.004524, TR5 - 0.004595 g/kg soil). Peak NH4+ values differed significantly among treatments, following the trend: TR6>TR5>TR3>TR4>TR1>TR2 and TR4>R6=TR5=TR3+TR2>TR1 at the Middle and Fringe sites, respectively. Nitrate content decreased within 1-2 weeks both sites to attain the least values between 4 and 7 weeks and rose steadily to 10. Rice cropping season NH4+ and NO3- variation showed a similar trend for both sites, apart for a sudden increase in the treatments with N input at week 8 and 10. Hydrological conditions did not significantly influence the NH4+ and NO3- (P = 0.05) content. The study recommends repeating the work under controlled conditions.