Paper · 2020 · Field Crops Research

Towards closing cassava yield gap in West Africa: Agronomic efficiency and storage root yield responses to NPK fertilizers

J.G. Adiele; A.G.T. Schut; R.P.M. van den Beuken; et al.

14
claims
25
verbatim quotes
59
citations
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Open access · cc-by-nc-nd

Abstract

Nutrient management of cassava has received little attention compared with cereal crops. We evaluated cassava yield potential and nutrient use efficiency when supplied with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium at high rates and when supplied with increasing rates of K. On-farm experiments were conducted at six locations in Nigeria across the major cassava growing agro-ecologies of Western Africa (Tropical Rainforest – Cross River, Forest Transition Savanna – Edo, and Guinea Savanna – Benue) during two seasons (2016–2017 and 2017–2018). Nitrogen, P and K fertilizers were applied at various rates, including treatments with and without added secondary and micronutrients. Storage root dry matter (DM) yields ranged between 11 and 35 t DM ha−1. The largest yields were obtained with a mean agronomic efficiency of 60, 162 and 51 kg DM of storage roots per kg of N, P and K applied, with average uptakes of 364, 44 and 242 kg N, P and K ha−1 respectively. Storage root yield responses to applied N, P and K fertilizers (2–18, 3–16 and 3–22 t DM ha−1, respectively) varied across the locations, reflecting variability in potential yields and applied NPK ratios. Addition of a mixture of secondary and micronutrients did not affect cassava yields. We found that the caloric energy yield of cassava per kg of N applied is 2.7 times larger than the value reported for maize. Increasing the supply of K gave a high agronomic efficiency of N even when supplied at high rates, supporting the theory of “increasing returns to scale” of De Wit. We conclude that cassava has a major role in future food security of sub-Saharan Africa, with potentially larger DM yields, a better recovery of applied nutrients and larger energy yield per kg of applied N fertilizer when compared with grains.

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Claims 14

Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Cassava storage-root dry matter yield ranged from 11 to 35 t DM per hectare.

Outcome
Storage root dry matter (DM) yieldse0
Value
11 and 35 t DM ha−1e0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Storage root dry matter (DM) yields ranged between 11 and 35 t DM ha−1.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 675–746 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Agronomic N efficiency at largest yields averaged 60 kg storage-root dry matter per kg N applied.

Outcome
agronomic efficiencye0
Value
60e0
Qualifier
kg DM of storage roots per kg of N, P and K appliede0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“a mean agronomic efficiency of 60, 162 and 51 kg DM of storage roots per kg of N, P and K applied”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 785–882 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Agronomic P efficiency at largest yields averaged 162 kg storage-root dry matter per kg P applied.

Outcome
agronomic efficiencye0
Value
162e0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“a mean agronomic efficiency of 60, 162 and 51 kg DM of storage roots per kg of N, P and K applied”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 785–882 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Agronomic K efficiency at largest yields averaged 51 kg storage-root dry matter per kg K applied.

Outcome
agronomic efficiencye0
Value
51e0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“a mean agronomic efficiency of 60, 162 and 51 kg DM of storage roots per kg of N, P and K applied”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 785–882 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Average N uptake was 364 kg per hectare.

Outcome
uptakese0
Value
364e0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“average uptakes of 364, 44 and 242 kg N, P and K ha−1 respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 889–955 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Average P uptake was 44 kg per hectare.

Outcome
uptakese0
Value
44e0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“average uptakes of 364, 44 and 242 kg N, P and K ha−1 respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 889–955 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Average K uptake was 242 kg per hectare.

Outcome
uptakese0
Value
242e0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“average uptakes of 364, 44 and 242 kg N, P and K ha−1 respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 889–955 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Applied N produced storage-root yield responses of 2–18 t DM per hectare, varying by location.

Treatment
applied Ne0
Outcome
Storage root yield responsese0
Direction
responsese0
Value
2–18e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Storage root yield responses to applied N, P and K fertilizers (2–18, 3–16 and 3–22 t DM ha−1, respectively) varied across the locations”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 957–1093 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Applied P produced storage-root yield responses of 3–16 t DM per hectare, varying by location.

Treatment
Pe0
Outcome
Storage root yield responsese0
Direction
responsese0
Value
3–16e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Storage root yield responses to applied N, P and K fertilizers (2–18, 3–16 and 3–22 t DM ha−1, respectively) varied across the locations”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 957–1093 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Applied K produced storage-root yield responses of 3–22 t DM per hectare, varying by location.

Treatment
K fertilizerse0
Outcome
Storage root yield responsese0
Direction
responsese0
Value
3–22e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Storage root yield responses to applied N, P and K fertilizers (2–18, 3–16 and 3–22 t DM ha−1, respectively) varied across the locations”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 957–1093 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Adding secondary and micronutrients did not affect cassava yields.

Treatment
mixture of secondary and micronutrientse0
Outcome
cassava yieldse0
Direction
did not affecte0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Addition of a mixture of secondary and micronutrients did not affect cassava yields.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1162–1246 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Cassava caloric energy yield per kg N applied was 2.7 times the reported maize value.

Outcome
caloric energy yield of cassava per kg of N appliede0
Direction
largere0
Value
2.7 timese0
Comparator
maizee0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“caloric energy yield of cassava per kg of N applied is 2.7 times larger than the value reported for maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1265–1370 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Increasing K supply maintained high N agronomic efficiency even at high N rates.

Treatment
Increasing the supply of Ke0
Outcome
agronomic efficiency of Ne0
Direction
highe0
Qualifier
even when supplied at high ratese0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Increasing the supply of K gave a high agronomic efficiency of N even when supplied at high rates”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1372–1469 · show in text ↑
t0

“cassava”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 16–23 · show in text ↑
Recommendationauthor interpretationoriginal resultbasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

The authors concluded cassava could contribute substantially to future food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

Outcome
major role in future food security of sub-Saharan Africae0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Manihot esculenta
Manihot esculenta · Taxon葉子 · CC0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0

“cassava has a major role in future food security of sub-Saharan Africa”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1554–1624 · show in text ↑

micronutrient · yield · Manihot esculenta (cassava)Positive and negative results

5 papers: 2 positive, 3 negative or no effect

2 papers in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction

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