IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v8y2018i4p45-d137231.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effect of Chicken Manure Application on Cassava Biomass and Root Yields in Two Agro-Ecologies of Zambia

Author

Listed:
  • Gizachew Kebede Biratu

    (Center for Environmental Science, College of Natural and Computational Science, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 3434, 1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
    International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Plot 1458B Ngwerere Road, P. O. Box 310142, 10100, Chelston, Lusaka, Zambia
    College of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, Department of Natural Resource Management, Ambo University, P. O. Box 19, 1000, Ambo, Ethiopia)

  • Eyasu Elias

    (Center for Environmental Science, College of Natural and Computational Science, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 3434, 1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

  • Pheneas Ntawuruhunga

    (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Plot 1458B Ngwerere Road, P. O. Box 310142, 10100, Chelston, Lusaka, Zambia)

  • Nhamo Nhamo

    (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Plot 1458B Ngwerere Road, P. O. Box 310142, 10100, Chelston, Lusaka, Zambia)

Abstract

Fertilizer application is known to increase crop yields and mitigate net soil nutrient mining due to continuous removal. However, smallholder farmers rarely apply adequate fertilizers because of high cost, limited availability and lack of awareness. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of chicken manure on cassava root and biomass yield at Kabangwe and Mansa, two locations representing agroecological zones II and III, respectively, in Zambia. With the aim of exploring alternative soil fertility management for smallholder farmers, the effect of sole chicken manure and mineral fertilizers was evaluated on cassava. The treatments were four levels of chicken manure (0, 1.4, 2.8, 4.2 ton/ha) and a single level of mineral NPK applied at 100N-22P-83K kg/ha as recommended. The design was a Randomized Complete Block (RCBD), with three replications using the improved cassava variety “ Mweru ” during the 2015/2016 growing season. The results showed significant ( p < 0.05) treatment effects on cassava root yields and yield components (fresh and dry root, leaf, stem, and total biomass) at both sites. The highest mean fresh (27.66 ton/ha) and dry root yield (9.55 ton/ha), and total fresh biomass (53.68 ton/ha) and dry biomass (16.12 ton/ha) production were achieved with the application of 4.2 ton/ha of chicken manure. This treatment showed 71% and 81% fresh root yield advantage over the control at Mansa and Kabangwe, respectively. While the marginal rate of return (MRR) was negative for the mineral fertilizer, it was positive for all the chicken manure treatments with the maximum (315%) achieved from the application of 4.2 ton/ha. The study concludes that application of chicken manure significantly increases the yield and biomass production of cassava and is economically efficient.

Suggested Citation

  • Gizachew Kebede Biratu & Eyasu Elias & Pheneas Ntawuruhunga & Nhamo Nhamo, 2018. "Effect of Chicken Manure Application on Cassava Biomass and Root Yields in Two Agro-Ecologies of Zambia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:8:y:2018:i:4:p:45-:d:137231
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/8/4/45/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/8/4/45/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Druilhe, Zoé & Barreiro-Hurlé, Jesús, 2012. "Fertilizer subsidies in sub-Saharan Africa," ESA Working Papers 288997, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    2. Chitundu, Maureen & Droppelmann, Klaus & Haggblade, Steven, 2006. "A Value Chain Task Force Approach for Managing Private-Public Partnerships: Zamiba’s Task Force on Acceleration of Cassava Utilization," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 54480, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    3. Barratt, N. & Chitundu, D. & Dover, O. & Elsinga, J. & Eriksson, S. & Guma, L. & Haggblade, M. & Haggblade, Steven & Henn, T.O. & Locke, F.R. & O'Donnell, C. & Smith, C. & Stevens, T., 2006. "Cassava as drought insurance: Food security implications of cassava trials in Central Zambia," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 45(1), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Feder, Gershon & Just, Richard E & Zilberman, David, 1985. "Adoption of Agricultural Innovations in Developing Countries: A Survey," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(2), pages 255-298, January.
    5. Lenth, Russell V., 2016. "Least-Squares Means: The R Package lsmeans," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 69(i01).
    6. Prudencio, Y. Coffi & Al-Hassan, Ramatu, 1994. "The food security stabilization roles of cassava in Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 57-64, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lutengano Mwinuka & Khamaldin Daud Mutabazi & Frieder Graef & Stefan Sieber & Jeremia Makindara & Anthony Kimaro & Götz Uckert, 2017. "Simulated willingness of farmers to adopt fertilizer micro-dosing and rainwater harvesting technologies in semi-arid and sub-humid farming systems in Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(6), pages 1237-1253, December.
    2. Dzanku, Fred Mawunyo, 2019. "Food security in rural sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring the nexus between gender, geography and off-farm employment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 26-43.
    3. Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin & Oreoluwa Ola & Hannes Lang & Gertrud Buchenrieder, 2021. "Public-private cooperation and agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of Nigerian growth enhancement scheme and e-voucher program," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(1), pages 129-140, February.
    4. Minot, Nicholas, 2014. "Food price volatility in sub-Saharan Africa: Has it really increased?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 45-56.
    5. Ouma, James Okuro & De Groote, Hugo & Owuor, George, 2006. "Determinants of Improved Maize Seed and Fertilizer Use in Kenya: Policy Implications," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25433, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    6. Alexander, Corinne E., 2002. "The Role Of Seed Company Supplied Information In Farmers' Decisions," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19617, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    7. Mekonnen, Daniel Ayalew & Gerber, Nicolas & Matz, Julia Anna, 2018. "Gendered Social Networks, Agricultural Innovations, and Farm Productivity in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 321-335.
    8. Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge & Wechsler, Seth James, 2012. "Fifteen Years Later: Examining the Adoption of Bt Corn Varieties by U.S. Farmers," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124257, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Christopher B. Barrett & Christine M. Moser & Oloro V. McHugh & Joeli Barison, 2004. "Better Technology, Better Plots, or Better Farmers? Identifying Changes in Productivity and Risk among Malagasy Rice Farmers," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 86(4), pages 869-888.
    10. Langyintuo, Augustine S. & Mungoma, Catherine, 2008. "The effect of household wealth on the adoption of improved maize varieties in Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 550-559, December.
    11. Cuong Le Van & Nguyen To The, 2019. "Farmers’ adoption of organic production," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 33-59, February.
    12. Gedikoglu, Haluk & McCann, Laura M.J. & Artz, Georgeanne M., 2011. "Off-Farm Employment Effects on Adoption of Nutrient Management Practices," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 40(2), pages 1-14, August.
    13. Vera Castillo, Y.B. & Pritchard, H.W. & Frija, A. & Chellattan Veettil, P. & Cuevas Sanchez, J.A. & Van Damme, P. & Van Huylenbroeck, G., 2014. "Production viability and farmers’ willingness to adopt Jatropha curcas L. as a biofuel source in traditional agroecosystems in Totonacapan, Mexico," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 42-49.
    14. Tesfaye, Wondimagegn & Tirivayi, Nyasha, 2020. "Crop diversity, household welfare and consumption smoothing under risk: Evidence from rural Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    15. Asaduzzaman, M. & Anik, Asif Reza, 2017. "Determinants of Adoption of Rice Yield Gap Minimisation Technology in Bangladesh," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 40(1-2), pages 73-96, March-Jun.
    16. Anjani Kumar & Ashok K. Mishra & Sunil Saroj & Vinay K. Sonkar & Ganesh Thapa & Pramod K. Joshi, 2020. "Food safety measures and food security of smallholder dairy farmers: Empirical evidence from Bihar, India," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(3), pages 363-384, June.
    17. Higgins, Daniel & Arslan, Aslihan & Winters, Paul, 2021. "What role can small-scale irrigation play in promoting inclusive rural transformation? Evidence from smallholder rice farmers in the Philippines," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    18. Smale, Melinda & Assima, Amidou & Kergna, Alpha & Thériault, Veronique & Weltzien, Eva, 2016. "Farm Family Effects Of Improved Sorghum Varieties In Mali: A Multivalued Treatment Approach," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 259076, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    19. Michael J. Andrews, 2020. "Local Effects of Land Grant Colleges on Agricultural Innovation and Output," NBER Chapters, in: Economics of Research and Innovation in Agriculture, pages 139-175, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Ogada, Maurice Juma, 2012. "Forest Management Decentralization in Kenya: Effects on Household Farm Forestry Decisions in Kakamega," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126319, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:8:y:2018:i:4:p:45-:d:137231. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.