Abstract
Field trials on the management of soil biological fertility with aim to increasing corn production were conducted in a savannah region of the DR-Congo. Three organic matters including fresh biomass of Entada abyssinica, Tithonia diversifolia, Stylosanthes gracilis and a mineral combination of nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) (115-63-0) along with a control (without fertilization) were evaluated for corn crop growth and production. The field trial was a completely randomized design with four replicates. Plant height, basal stem diameter, and yield components were assessed. Irrespective of fertilization treatments and variety, maize showed a similar growth up to 20 days after sowing (DAS), and then two distinct trends were observed. At 60 DAS, plant height and basal diameter were significantly bigger in plots treated with NP, T. diversifolia and E. abyssinica compared to S. gracilis treatment and control (NoF). This pattern was also confirmed with agronomic traits such as cob length, number of kernel per cob, and net grain yield. The local variety was the least productive under any treatment. In general, the response of corn crop to organic and inorganic fertilization showed that the mineral combination (NP) increased the most grain yield and other yield components compared to unfertilized trial, followed by T. divessifolia and E. abyssinica. NP and T. diversifolia treatments increased significantly and equally soil potassium content compared to control and other treatments. Application of T. diversifolia appears a more cost effective approach for small farmers to improving fertility of the oxisol prevailing in Central Africa compared to mineral fertilizers.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Maize growth was similar across treatments and varieties until 20 days after sowing.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Irrespective of fertilization treatments and variety, maize showed a similar growth up to 20 days after sowing (DAS)”
t0“Evaluation of Biological Soil Fertility Management Practices for Corn Production in Oxisols”
Claim · model-written summary
At 60 days, NP, Tithonia and Entada gave significantly greater plant height than Stylosanthes and control.
- Taxon
- Corn
Zea mays subsp. mayst0 - Treatment
- NP, T. diversifolia and E. abyssinicae0
- Outcome
- plant heighte0
- Direction
- biggere0
- Qualifier
- At 60 DASe0
- Comparator
- S. gracilis treatment and control (NoF)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At 60 DAS, plant height and basal diameter were significantly bigger in plots treated with NP, T. diversifolia and E. abyssinica compared to S. gracilis treatment and control (NoF)”
t0“Evaluation of Biological Soil Fertility Management Practices for Corn Production in Oxisols”
Claim · model-written summary
At 60 days, NP, Tithonia and Entada gave significantly greater basal diameter than Stylosanthes and control.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- NP, T. diversifolia and E. abyssinicae0
- Outcome
- basal diametere0
- Direction
- biggere0
- Comparator
- S. gracilis treatment and control (NoF)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At 60 DAS, plant height and basal diameter were significantly bigger in plots treated with NP, T. diversifolia and E. abyssinica compared to S. gracilis treatment and control (NoF)”
t0“Evaluation of Biological Soil Fertility Management Practices for Corn Production in Oxisols”
Claim · model-written summary
The local maize variety was least productive under every treatment.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Material
- local varietye0
- Outcome
- productivee0
- Direction
- leaste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The local variety was the least productive under any treatment”
t0“Evaluation of Biological Soil Fertility Management Practices for Corn Production in Oxisols”
Claim · model-written summary
NP produced the greatest grain yield and yield components, followed by Tithonia and Entada.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- mineral combination (NP)e0
- Outcome
- grain yield and other yield componentse0
- Direction
- increased the moste0
- Comparator
- unfertilized triale0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the mineral combination (NP) increased the most grain yield and other yield components compared to unfertilized trial, followed by T. divessifolia and E. abyssinica”
t0“Evaluation of Biological Soil Fertility Management Practices for Corn Production in Oxisols”
Claim · model-written summary
NP and Tithonia raised soil potassium significantly and equally versus control and other treatments.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- NP and T. diversifolia treatmentse0
- Outcome
- soil potassium contente0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- control and other treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NP and T. diversifolia treatments increased significantly and equally soil potassium content compared to control and other treatments”
t0“Evaluation of Biological Soil Fertility Management Practices for Corn Production in Oxisols”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend Tithonia application as a more cost effective fertility practice for small farmers than mineral fertilizers.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- Application of T. diversifoliae0
- Outcome
- more cost effective approache0
- Comparator
- mineral fertilizerse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Application of T. diversifolia appears a more cost effective approach for small farmers to improving fertility of the oxisol prevailing in Central Africa compared to mineral fertilizers”
t0“Evaluation of Biological Soil Fertility Management Practices for Corn Production in Oxisols”
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See all 2,185 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.