Scientific Publication

Onfarm evaluation of biological nitrogen fixation potential and grain yield of Lablab and two soybean varieties in the northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria

author(s) Okogun, J. - Sanginga, Nteranya - Abaidoo, Robert C. - Dashiell, Kenton E. - Diels, J.
from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
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themes
regions
  • Africa
  • World
  • Western Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
citation

Okogun, J., Sanginga, N., Abaidoo, R., Dashiell, K. & Diels, J. (2005). On-farm evaluation of biological nitrogen fixation potential and grain yield of Lablab and two soybean varieties in the northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 73(2-3), 267-275.

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Abstract

Several legumes with high biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potentials have been studied in on-station trials. The processes involved in BNF and the benefits of these species to crop production need to be evaluated using farmers' management practices in farmers' fields. An on-farm trial with 20 farmers was conducted in the northern Guinea savanna (NGS) of Nigeria. The aims were to evaluate the BNF potentials of an improved soybean variety (TGx 1448-2E) and a local variety (Samsoy-2) when inoculated with Bradyrhizobium strains, and of Lablab in farmer-managed and researcher-managed soybean-maize and Lablab-maize crop rotation systems. The level of soil P was generally low with more than 50% of the fields having less than the critical P level. The plant available P content was statistically significantly (P = 0.05) correlated with P in grain (r = 0.60), P in the shoot (r = 0.68), grain yield (r = 0.40) and nodule weight (r = 0.35). Variations in plant parameters (nodulation, shoot dry matter, percentage nitrogen derived from the air [%Ndfa], grain yield, and nutrient uptake) among and within farmers’ fields were attributed to differences in soil fertility and crop management. About 60% of the fields were moderately fertile, sufficient to support legume establishment, while about 30% of the farmers' fields had a low fertility level. For farmers in the study area to benefit from the BNF potentials of the legumes, an external P fertilizer input was necessary as well as suitable crop management practices because all parameters measured in the researcher-managed plots were higher than in the farmer-managed plots.

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