Abstract
Abstract Fertilizer microdosing (FM) is being promoted in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) to boost crop productivity on smallholder farms. However, yield response variability is a barrier to adoption. We conducted a meta‐analysis to analyze the variability in cereal crop yield response to FM and to determine the main factors associated with this variability. Thirty publications pertaining to millet [ Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.], sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) or maize ( Zea mays L.) were assessed. Factors analyzed were crop type, rainfall, soil texture, type and rate of fertilizer, and complementary practices. On average, FM improved millet, sorghum and maize crop yields by 68%. Yield response tended to increase with increasing rainfall and the largest yield gains were observed in medium‐textured soils (81%), as compared to light (61%) and heavy‐textured soils (30%). The combined application of N and P performed better than either element alone. Crop response tended to increase with increasing rates of N. In the case of P, this was true only on light textured‐soils. On medium‐textured soils, the response appeared independent of the rate of P. There was a synergetic effect of water conservation measures on the performance of FM, while combining FM with organic matter (OM) amendments decreased its performance. Results highlighted major trends in cereal crop response to FM that could be used to prioritize target areas. However, these may require additional, site‐specific field experiments, especially for factors for which little data is currently available.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Microdosing improved millet yield by an average 68% across the cereals assessed.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“On average, FM improved millet, sorghum and maize crop yields by 68%.”
Claim · model-written summary
Microdosing improved sorghum yield by an average 68% across the cereals assessed.
SorghumNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“On average, FM improved millet, sorghum and maize crop yields by 68%.”
Claim · model-written summary
Microdosing improved maize yield by an average 68% across the cereals assessed.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“On average, FM improved millet, sorghum and maize crop yields by 68%.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cereal yield response tended to increase with rainfall.
Verbatim
e0“Yield response tended to increase with increasing rainfall”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Medium-textured soils had the largest yield gains, at 81%.
Verbatim
e0“the largest yield gains were observed in medium‐textured soils (81%), as compared to light (61%) and heavy‐textured soils (30%).”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Light soils had cereal yield gains of 61%.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“the largest yield gains were observed in medium‐textured soils (81%), as compared to light (61%) and heavy‐textured soils (30%).”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Heavy-textured soils had cereal yield gains of 30%.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“the largest yield gains were observed in medium‐textured soils (81%), as compared to light (61%) and heavy‐textured soils (30%).”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined N and P application performed better than either alone.
Verbatim
e0“The combined application of N and P performed better than either element alone.”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Crop response tended to increase with N rate.
Verbatim
e0“Crop response tended to increase with increasing rates of N.”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Crop response increased with P rate only on light-textured soils.
Verbatim
e0“Crop response tended to increase with increasing rates of N. In the case of P, this was true only on light textured‐soils.”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
On medium-textured soils response appeared independent of P rate.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“On medium‐textured soils, the response appeared independent of the rate of P.”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Water conservation synergistically improved microdosing performance.
- Taxon
- cereale1
- Treatment
- water conservation measurese0
- Outcome
- performance of FMe0
- Direction
- increaseinferrede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“There was a synergetic effect of water conservation measures on the performance of FM”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Organic matter amendments decreased microdosing performance.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“combining FM with organic matter (OM) amendments decreased its performance.”
e1“cereal crop yield response to FM”
Claim · model-written summary
Cereal response trends can prioritize target areas but may require site-specific field experiments where data are sparse.
Verbatim
e0“Results highlighted major trends in cereal crop response to FM that could be used to prioritize target areas. However, these may require additional, site‐specific field experiments, especially for factors for which little data is currently available.”
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See all 3,908 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.