Knowledge Center Catalog

Response of local and hybrid maize to lower rates of phosphorus in Malawi

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublication details: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) CIMMYT : 1997ISBN:
  • 92-9146-025-7
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 633.15 EAS No. 5
Summary: In Malawi, production of maize, the staple cereal, is constrained by poor soil fertility, among other factors. Fertilizer use to enhance production is expensive since all fertilizers are imported. There is a blanket recommendation of 19 kg phosphorus (P) and 92 kg/ha nitrogen (N), but the current maize grain/fertilizer price ratios indicate that this may be high. Hence, two trials were conducted in 1987/88, 88/89, and 89/90 seasons, to determine maize yield response to P205 increments (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg/ha for hybrids and 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg for local maize) at two rates of N (50 and 100 kg/ha for hybrids and 40 and 80 kg for local maize). In both trials there was an external control plot without fertilizer. In the hybrid trial, out of 31 sites, significant responses to P were detected at 7 sites. Response to first 15 kg P205 was detected at 4 sites, to 15 and 30 kg P2O5 at 2 sites and to 45 kg P2O5 at 1 site. For the local maize trial significant phosphorus responses were obtained at 2 out of 28 sites. Response to the first 15 kg/ha P2O5 was obtained at Tomali and to 30 kg/ha P205 at Meru all in the 1989/90 season. The combined yield effect of N and P was much better than N only which was also better than unfertilized plots. This means that some P is needed for best response to N and it is therefore concluded that at least 15 - 30 kg/ha P205 be applied for sustainable production.
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Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Copy number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Conference proceedings CIMMYT Knowledge Center: John Woolston Library CIMMYT Publications Collection 633.15 EAS No. 5 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) 1 Available 1G624172
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In Malawi, production of maize, the staple cereal, is constrained by poor soil fertility, among other factors. Fertilizer use to enhance production is expensive since all fertilizers are imported. There is a blanket recommendation of 19 kg phosphorus (P) and 92 kg/ha nitrogen (N), but the current maize grain/fertilizer price ratios indicate that this may be high. Hence, two trials were conducted in 1987/88, 88/89, and 89/90 seasons, to determine maize yield response to P205 increments (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg/ha for hybrids and 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg for local maize) at two rates of N (50 and 100 kg/ha for hybrids and 40 and 80 kg for local maize). In both trials there was an external control plot without fertilizer. In the hybrid trial, out of 31 sites, significant responses to P were detected at 7 sites. Response to first 15 kg P205 was detected at 4 sites, to 15 and 30 kg P2O5 at 2 sites and to 45 kg P2O5 at 1 site. For the local maize trial significant phosphorus responses were obtained at 2 out of 28 sites. Response to the first 15 kg/ha P2O5 was obtained at Tomali and to 30 kg/ha P205 at Meru all in the 1989/90 season. The combined yield effect of N and P was much better than N only which was also better than unfertilized plots. This means that some P is needed for best response to N and it is therefore concluded that at least 15 - 30 kg/ha P205 be applied for sustainable production.

English

9712|AGRIS 9702

Jose Juan Caballero

CIMMYT Publications Collection


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