Temporal variation in soil quality and carbon sequestration potential of different cropping systems in Arid and Semi-Arid parts of South Eastern Kenya
Abstract
The use of incorrect agricultural methods and utilization of land, excessive inorganic chemical applications, misguided cultivation, and nutrient mining have all contributed to a considerable deterioration in soil health globally. To meet the requirements of growing inhabitants, farmers have turned to unsustainable methods including monoculture, excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers, and increased agricultural intensification. A study to determine the seasonal variation of soil quality under different cropping systems and carbon sequestration potential was done during the years 2018 and 2019 in Kauwi and Zombe Wards of South Eastern Kenya. Five cropping systems namely, vegetable, cereal, fruit, and agroforestry were selected, whereas uncultivated land was considered as control. During the typical long (MAM) and short (OND) rainfall seasons, composite soil samples were taken from the cropping systems at random, making the treatment combinations ten. Each farming system had surface soil samples obtained from a depth of 0 to 15 centimetres. Two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the results. The results revealed that the influence of cropping systems on seasonal variation of soil quality parameters varied significantly (p<0.05). Further, the interaction between cropping systems and seasons significantly influenced soil pH and soil organic carbon. The short rain season registered lower soil pH values across all cropping systems. Soil Organic Carbon was found to be highest in vegetable-based cropping systems during short and long rain seasons. Electrical Conductivity was highest during the long rain season across all cropping systems. Soil bulk density was lowest during the short rains and under uncultivated land. NPK varied significantly across the cropping systems in the different rain seasons. Higher carbon stock was found in the Zombe ward as compared to the Kauwi ward. Carbon density values were noticed to be highest under Vegetable-based cropping systems in both study locations. This can be ascribed to the heavy application of organic and artificial fertilizers by farmers to increase yields and profits. Based on the results, Vegetable and agroforestry cropping systems were found to contain the highest amounts of soil carbon, and therefore, with the potential to sequester the highest amount of soil carbon. Both tiers of government should promote vegetable and agroforestry cropping systems to minimize the effects of climate change
Downloads
References
Alila, P. O. and R. Atieno (2006). "Agricultural policy in Kenya: Issues and processes." Nairobi: Institute of Development Studies.
Amwata, D. A. (2020). "Situational analysis of the agriculture sector in Kenya." Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. Nairobi, Kenya.
Arshad, M. A. and S. Martin (2002). "Identifying critical limits for soil quality indicators in agro-ecosystems." Agriculture, ecosystems & environment 88(2): 153-160.
Bloss, E., et al. (2004). "Prevalence and predictors of underweight, stunting, and wasting among children aged 5 and under in western Kenya." Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 50(5): 260-270.
Brar, B. S., et al. (2015). "Effects of longterm application of inorganic and organic fertilizers on soil organic carbon and physical properties in maize–wheat rotation." Agronomy 5(2): 220-238.
Chamberlin, J. and J. Ricker‐Gilbert (2016). "Participation in rural land rental markets in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Who benefits and by how much? Evidence from Malawi and Zambia." American Journal of Agricultural Economics 98(5): 1507-1528.
Du, G., et al. (2023). "Regional differences in the green use level of cultivated land in the Heilongjiang reclamation area." Frontiers in Environmental Science 11: 1134271.
Ehui, S. and J. Pender (2005). "Resource degradation, low agricultural productivity, and poverty in sub‐Saharan Africa: pathways out of the spiral." Agricultural Economics 32: 225-242.
FAO (2015). The State of Food and Agriculture 2015: Social protection and agriculture: Breaking the cycle of rural poverty, FAO Rome.
FAO (2018). The role of cities in the transformation of food systems: sharing lessons from Milan pact cities, FAO Rome.
Firmano, R. F., et al. (2017). "Long-term potassium administration/deprivation cycles on tropical oxisol: effects on soil fertility and soybean performance."
Franzluebbers, A. and M. Arshad (1996). "Soil organic matter pools with conventional and zero tillage in a cold, semiarid climate." Soil and Tillage Research 39(1-2): 1-11.
Grant, C. and S. Sheppard (2008). "Fertilizer impacts on cadmium availability in agricultural soils and crops." Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 14(2): 210-228.
Gu, D., et al. (2021). "Major trends in population growth around the world." China CDC weekly 3(28): 604.
Jensen, E. S., et al. (2010). "Faba bean in cropping systems." Field crops research 115(3): 203-216.
Jones, D. L., et al. (2013). "Nutrient stripping: the global disparity between food security and soil nutrient stocks." Journal of Applied Ecology 50(4): 851-862.
Lee, R. (2011). "The outlook for population growth." Science 333(6042): 569-573.
Loria, N., et al. (2016). "Impact of cropping systems on soil properties, nutrient availability and their carbon sequestration potential in Shiwalik hills of Himachal Pradesh." Journal of Applied and Natural Science 8(3): 1479-1484.
Ngenoh, E., et al. (2019). "Determinants of the competitiveness of smallholder African indigenous vegetable farmers in high-value agro-food chains in Kenya: A multivariate probit regression analysis." Agricultural and Food Economics 7(1): 1-17.
Njoroge, B. and J. Obiero (2014). "Effects of Water Application Levels on Growth Characteristics and Soil Water Balance of Tomatoes in Greenhouse."
Otsuka, K. and D. F. Larson (2016). "In pursuit of an African green revolution." Springer.
Rengel, Z. and P. M. Damon (2008). "Crops and genotypes differ in efficiency of potassium uptake and use." Physiologia Plantarum 133(4): 624-636.
Rousk, J., et al. (2010). "Soil bacterial and fungal communities across a pH gradient in an arable soil." The ISME journal 4(10): 1340-1351.
Sanchez, A., et al. (2002). "Biodegradation of viticulture wastes by Pleurotus: a source of microbial and human food and its potential use in animal feeding." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 50(9): 2537-2542.
Schram, A., et al. (2013). "Urbanization and international trade and investment policies as determinants of noncommunicable diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa." Progress in cardiovascular diseases 56(3): 281-301.
Seremesic, S., et al. (2017). "Changes in soil carbon stock under the wheat-based cropping systems at Vojvodina province of Serbia." Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 63(3): 388-402.
Tabatabai, M. A. and R. Olson (1985). "Effect of acid rain on soils." Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 15(1): 65-110.
Tibbett, M., et al. (2022). "Phosphorus uptake and toxicity are delimited by mycorrhizal symbiosis in P-sensitive Eucalyptus marginata but not in P-tolerant Acacia celastrifolia." AoB Plants 14(5): plac037.
Tillman, P., et al. (2012). "Cover crops and related methods for enhancing agricultural biodiversity and conservation biocontrol: Successful case studies." Biodiversity and insect pests: key issues for sustainable management: 309-327.
Uphoff, N. (2013). Agroecological innovations: increasing food production with participatory development, Routledge.
Xiubin, H., et al. (2002). Structural indicator response of soil quality to forestry cultivation on the loess plateau of China. 12th ISCO Conference.
Copyright (c) 2024 Everlyne Katilo Kitavi, Charles Kimani Ndung’u, Moses Mwangi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
