Soil water status, maize growth and yield under traditional farming practices at Bvumbwe -Malawi.

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dc.contributor.authorKayira, Kondwani Kenton Mwachilinda
dc.date.accessioned2026-02-17T07:31:16Z
dc.date.available2026-02-17T07:31:16Z
dc.date.issued1996
dc.descriptionDissertation
dc.description.abstractAn experiment was conducted at Bvumbwe Research Station in Malawi with the objective of characterizing the soil water status and maize (Zea mays) growth and yield under traditional tillage practices. Four tillage practices namely Open Ridge (OR), Residual Ridge (RR), Basin Ridge (BR) and Tie Ridge (TR) systems were used as treatments. Instantaneous soil water content was determined in situ by using tensiometers (Model 2900F1) set in the field within 0 - 45 cm depth on rows, interrows, and 2/3 distance from interrows. Weekly gravimetric determinations of soil water at 0 - 45 cm depth were used to assess the profile soil water distribution characteristics at different maize development stages. Infiltration measurements soon after cultivation and after harvesting were determined by the double ring method. Runoff collection tanks were installed at the edge of each plot to collect runoff discharges from respective plots. Plant performance was assessed on a complete randomised block design (CRBD). Treatment BR maintained the highest profile soil water content on rows, interrows and 2/3 distance from interrows during the greater part of the season, RR had the lowest whereas TR and OR had an intermediate profile soil water content. Row soil water readings were normally lower than interrows with a mean differrence of about 4.5 mm in OR and RR, 6.3 mm in BR and 5.4 mm in TR. The differential patterns of recharge and drying within the profile created spatial variations in soil water content at different depths. There was significant correlation between spatial variations and the mean soil water content. Subsurface recharge from interrows to rows, narrowed the spatial variations in soil water content in BR by about 0.0021 and a minimal rate of0.00065 in RR. Temporal variances in soil water content ranged from 0.0086 in BR and TR to 0.0053 in RR with intermediate temporal variance for OR treatment. The soil water behaviour showed a temporal dependence on spatial variations and a spatial dependence on temporal variations. Higher soil water content in BR was attributed to basin storage which promoted in situ water retention allowing longer periods for infiltration process ■ to take place leading to the low runoff coefficient of 10% in BR, 18% in TR, 29% in OR and 47% in RR. Maize performance was significantly related to the soil water content with the highest growth rate in BR treatment of 2.11 cm/day, TR 1.93 cm/day in TR, 1.84 cm/day in OR and 1.39 cm/day in RR at 59 DAP. Tasselling rate, leaf area Index, dry matter yield responded positively to the soil water variations in the treatments.
dc.description.sponsorshipNorwergian Agency for Development (NORAD), Sokoine University of Agriculture
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7314
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSokoine University of Agriculture
dc.subjectSoil status
dc.subjectMaize growth
dc.subjectMaize yield
dc.subjectMalawi
dc.titleSoil water status, maize growth and yield under traditional farming practices at Bvumbwe -Malawi.
dc.typeThesis

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