Influence of minjingu phosphate rock application on tephrosia vogellie fallow productivity and subsequent maize response on a ferralsol in morogoro,Tanzania
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Date
2004
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to quantify the response of /'. vogelii fallow to
Minjingu Phosphate Rock (MPR) application at establishment on quantity and
quality of biomass produced. P availability, total inorganic-N. maize yields, and pH
and Ca changes on an acidic. I’ deficient Ferralsol. The data w'ere collected from pot.
incubation and field experiments. The pot studies were used to assess response of T.
vogelii seedlings to MPR. P and Ca applications, and that of maize to 7'. vogehi
biomass and MPR applications Incubation experiments were used to evaluate the
influence of MPR application on decomposition of 7'. vogelii biomass and N release.
and the effects of combined application of MPR and T. vogelii biomass on Pi-P. The
field experiments were used to evaluate the effects of MPR application at fallow
establishment on /' vogelii performance, maize response to fallow' biomass and MPR
applications, and to residual MPR and fallow biomass and fresh biomass
applications. In soil of pH 5.9. the quantity, quality and Nz-fixing capacity of T
vogelii seedlings were significantly improved relative to pH 5.0. Application of MPR
improved these parameters at both values of soil reaction. The quality and quantity of
7'. vogelii biomass depended on P application. Combined application of T. vogelii
biomass and MPR significantly increased maize DM yield in the pot and field
studies, but depressed Pi-P in the incubation study. Decomposition of T. vogelii
biomass was significantly increased only in the first 28 days by MPR application and
was not effected thereafter. Minjingu PR application at fallow establishment
significantly increased the quantity and quality of T. vogelii biomass, total inorganic-
N and Pi-P in the fallow's. Subsequent to fallows, application of T. vogelii fallow'Ill
biomass or combined with MPR significantly increased total inorganic-N. The Pi-P.
earleaf N and P concentrations, soil pH. exchangeable Ca and maize yields were
significantly increased by application of MPR at fallow establishment and by
combined MPR with fallow biomass It is concluded that application of MPR on a
strongly acid P deficient Ferralsol improves the quantity and quality of T. vogelii
fallows and subsequent maize yields
Description
Keywords
Minjingu phosphate rock, Tephrosia vogeiii, Soil fertility, Maize cropping, Ferralsols, Relay cropping, Tephrosia vogelii biomass, Tanzania