000			04920nab a22004697a 4500
001			67612
003			MX-TxCIM
005			20250709123547.0
008			240614s2014 -uk|||p|op||| 00| 0 eng d
022			_a1161-0301
022			_a1873-7331 (Online)
024	8		_ahttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2013.12.009
040			_aMX-TxCIM
041			_aeng
100	1		_aRurinda, J. _98671
245	1	0	_aComparative assessment of maize, finger millet and sorghum for household food security in the face of increasing climatic risk
260			_aUnited Kingdom : _bElsevier B.V., _c2014.
500			_aPeer review
520			_aQuestions as to which crop to grow, where, when and with what management, will be increasingly challenging for farmers in the face of a changing climate. The objective of this study was to evaluate emergence, yield and financial benefits of maize, finger millet and sorghum, planted at different dates and managed with variable soil nutrient inputs in order to develop adaptation options for stabilizing food production and income for smallholder households in the face of climate change and variability. Field experiments with maize, finger millet and sorghum were conducted in farmers’ fields in Makoni and Hwedza districts in eastern Zimbabwe for three seasons: 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12. Three fertilization rates: high (90 kg N ha−1, 26 kg P ha−1, 7 t ha−1 manure), low (35 kg N ha−1, 14 kg P ha−1, 3 t ha−1 manure) and a control (zero fertilization); and three planting dates: early, normal and late, were compared. Crop emergence for the unfertilized finger millet and sorghum was <15% compared with >70% for the fertilized treatments. In contrast, the emergence for maize (a medium-maturity hybrid cultivar, SC635), was >80% regardless of the amount of fertilizer applied. Maize yield was greater than that of finger millet and sorghum, also in the season (2010/11) which had poor rainfall distribution. Maize yielded 5.4 t ha−1 compared with 3.1 t ha−1 for finger millet and 3.3 t ha−1 for sorghum for the early plantings in the 2009/10 rainfall season in Makoni, a site with relatively fertile soils. In the poorer 2010/11 season, early planted maize yielded 2.4 t ha−1, against 1.6 t ha−1 for finger millet and 0.4 t ha−1 for sorghum in Makoni. Similar yield trends were observed on the nutrient-depleted soils in Hwedza, although yields were less than those observed in Makoni. All crops yielded significantly more with increasing rates of fertilization when planting was done early or in what farmers considered the ‘normal window’. Crops planted early or during the normal planting window gave comparable yields that were greater than yields of late-planted crops. Water productivity for each crop planted early or during the normal window increased with increase in the amount of fertilizer applied, but differed between crop type. Maize had the highest water productivity (8.0 kg dry matter mm−1 ha−1) followed by sorghum (4.9 kg mm−1 ha−1) and then finger millet (4.6 kg mm−1 ha−1) when a high fertilizer rate was applied to the early-planted crop. Marginal rates of return for maize production were greater for the high fertilization rate (>50%) than for the low rate (<50%). However, the financial returns for finger millet were more attractive for the low fertilization rate (>100%) than for the high rate (<100%). Although maize yield was greater compared with finger millet, the latter had a higher content of calcium and can be stored for up to five years. The superiority of maize, in terms of yields, over finger millet and sorghum, suggests that the recommendation to substitute maize with small grains may not be a robust option for adaptation to increased temperatures and more frequent droughts likely to be experienced in Zimbabwe and other parts of southern Africa.
546			_aText in English
591			_aChikowo, R. : No CIMMYT Affiliation
650		7	_aClimate change adaptation _2AGROVOC _95511
650		7	_aDiversification _2AGROVOC _93027
650		7	_aPlanting date _2AGROVOC _93766
650		7	_aClimate variability _2AGROVOC _923828
650		7	_aNutrient management _2AGROVOC _92058
650		7	_aFood security _2AGROVOC _91118
650		7	_aMaize _2AGROVOC _91173
650		7	_aFinger millet _2AGROVOC _918075
650		7	_aSorghum _2AGROVOC _92002
650		7	_aFertilizer application _2AGROVOC _91110
650		7	_aWeather Hazards _2AGROVOC _98700
650		7	_aRainfall Patterns _2AGROVOC _98749
700	1		_aMapfumo, P. _93354
700	1		_avan Wijk, M.T. _92500
700	1		_aMtambanengwe, F. _915811
700	1		_aRufino, M.C. _92610
700	1		_aChikowo, R. _8001713580 _gSustainable Agrifood Systems _93959
700	1		_aGiller, K.E. _91960
773	0		_dUnited Kingdom : Elsevier B.V., 2014. _gv. 55, p. 29–41 _tEuropean Journal of Agronomy _wG446870 _x1161-0301
942			_2ddc _cJA _n0
999			_c67612 _d67604