Browsing by Author "Norton, Jay B."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Assessing conservation agricultural production systems (CAPS) for small holder farmers in rain-fed farming system in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
    Nambozo, J.; Norton, Jay B.; Okeyo, M.; Odhiambo, Judith A.; Owori, M.; Oluko, P.; Ogonga, P. (2012)
    The challenge of sufficient food production by farmers in rainfed farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa is exacerbated by soil degradation and poor soil nutrient status. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of reduced and no tillage and velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) cover crop on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and noxious weed population in alternative cropping practices to maize-bean production. Using a completely randomized block design, four replications of three tillage intensities and three cropping practices were established on two climatically different sites: Tranz-Nzoia in western Kenya, and Tororo in western Kenya and eastern Uganda, respectively. While CO2 emissions are comparable among sites and tillage treatments, N2O had significantly higher emissions in low elevation sites (where there are two growing seasons) and CH4 assimilation declined under reduced and no-tillage at high elevation sites. Reduced tilling also had a lower presence of narrow leaf species of weeds than deep tillage, but shallow hoeing had a lower weed density than no-till methods.
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    Impact of conservation tillage on soil quality under smallholder farming systems in eastern Uganda and western Kenya
    Okeyo, Jeremiah M.; Norton, Jay B.; Omondi, Emmanuel C.; Norton, Urszula; Ngosia, Dominic S.; Odhiambo, Judith A.; Ashilenje, Dennis S. (2014)
    This poster presents a study to evaluate the impact oftillage: conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT) and notill(NT) combined with 3 cropping systems: intercrop, relay andstrip system on: (i.) Total and labile SOC and N pools and (ii.) Bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR) and water in eastern Uganda and western Kenya.
  • Performance of a local open pollinated maize variety and a common hybrid variety under intensive small-scale farming practices
    Norton, Jay B.; Omondi, Emmanuel C.; Ashilenje, Dennis S. (2014)
    Given that the majority of maize farmers in Kenya are small-scale, improvement in maize production must focus on increased production per unit area. While hybrid maize varieties outperform local open pollinated varieties under conventional farming practices, their relative performance has not been tested under small-scale intensive production practices. A study was conducted in 2013 in Kitale, western Kenya, to evaluate performance of ‘Namba Nane’; a local open pollinated maize variety, alongside a high yielding hybrid, ‘Hybrid 614D’ under a small-scale, intensive farming practice that utilizes deep tillage and compost/manure. Each variety was subjected to conventional and diagonal offset close spacing. The grain yield of the hybrid (12.8 tons ha-1) was not statistically different from that of ‘Namba Nane’ (10.2 tons ha-1), even though the number of rows per cobb and number of ears per plant of the former were significantly greater than those of latter. However, yields of both varieites were about twice the published potential yield of imporved hybrid maize (6 tons ha-1) grown with conventional practices. Seed kernels of ‘Namba Nane’ weighed 1.6 times more than those of ‘Hybrid 614D’. Diagonal off-set close spacing under this technology increased the maize grain yield o fboth varieties 1.3 times. The cost of producing ‘Namba Nane’ under the technology was significantly less that producing the hybrid and twice more profitable (gross margin). Growing ‘Namba Nane’ using small-scale, intensive farming practices may be a viable option for most small-scale, resource-challenged farmers to increase economics yields.
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    SANREM CRSP LTRA-10: Development and transfer of conservation agriculture production systems (CAPS) for smallholder farms in eastern Uganda and western Kenya
    Sikuku, Dominic Ngosia; Omondi, Emmanuel C.; Norton, Jay B.; Okalebo, J. R. (2013)
    The presentation covered the overall objectives and activities of the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM CRSP) Long-term research award number 10 (LTRA-10). This research program seeks to promote the development and transfer of conservation agriculture productions systems (CAPS) among smallholder farms in eastern Uganda and western Kenya. The partners actively involved in the program are two host country universities, three non-governmental organizations, and two U.S. universities. The presentation included a brief overview of the program objectives and detailed experimental design. Main challenges throughout project implementation were presented, mainly pertaining to the lack of tools, inadequate participation of host farmers, and insufficient information on correct herbicides. Examples of training actives in Tororo during July 2012 were discussed. The positive impacts of the program, such as improvement in how farmers address issues of productivity with climate smart farming, attested to the success of the programs thus far. The project has created a good platform for various stakeholders in the agricultural sector to come together and voice concerns and chart the way forward for agriculture, effectively creating dialogue that leads capacity building and change.
  • Seasonal Variability in GHG emissions and soil N in maize/common bean intercropping under inversion-type tillage in western Kenya
    Odhiambo, Judith A.; Norton, Urszula; Norton, Jay B.; Omondi, Emmanuel C.; Okeyo, Jeremiah M.; Ngosia, Dominic S.; Ashilenje, Dennis S. (2014)
    This posters reports on a study which seeks to (1) Assess SOM mineralization in typical maize bean production during long rainy season, short rainy season and a fallow period in double
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    Soil biological and physical properties under conservation agriculture in Kenya and Uganda
    Norton, Jay B.; Okeyo, Jeremiah M.; Norton, Urszula (2014)
    This presentation describes a study conducted by the East Africa SANREM team which examines the following questions: (1) How do alternative tillage treatments that eliminate plows impact soil quality? (2)How do alternative cropping systems that include cover crops impact soil quality? (3) How do combined alternative cropping and tillage systems affect soil quality?
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    Weed Dynamics during Transition to Conservation Agriculture in Western Kenya Maize Production
    Odhiambo, Judith A.; Norton, Urszula; Ashilenje, Dennis S.; Omondi, Emmanuel C.; Norton, Jay B. (2015-08-03)
    Weed competition is a significant problem in maize (Zea mays, L.) production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Better understanding of weed management and costs in maize inter-cropped with beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) during transition to conservation agricultural systems is needed. Changes in weed population and maize growth were assessed for a period of three years at Bungoma where crops are grown twice per year and at Trans-Nzoia where crops are grown once per year. Treatments included three tillage practices: minimum (MT), no-till (NT) and conventional (CT) applied to three cropping systems: continuous maize/bean intercropping (TYPICAL), maize/bean intercropping with relayed mucuna after bean harvest (RELAY) and maize, bean and mucuna planted in a strip intercropping arrangement (STRIP). Herbicides were used in NT, shallow hand hoeing and herbicides were used in MT and deep hoeing with no herbicides were used in CT. Weed and maize performance in the maize phase of each cropping system were assessed at both locations and costs of weed control were estimated at Manor House only. Weed density of grass and forb species declined significantly under MT and NT at Manor House and of grass species only at Mabanga. The greatest declines of more than 50% were observed as early as within one year of the transition to MT and NT in STRIP and TYPICAL cropping systems at Manor House. Transitioning to conservation based systems resulted in a decline of four out of five most dominant weed species. At the same time, no negative impact of MT or NT on maize growth was observed. Corresponding costs of weed management were reduced by $148.40 ha(-1) in MT and $149.60 ha(-1) in NT compared with CT. In conclusion, farmers can benefit from effective and less expensive weed management alternatives early in the process of transitioning to reduced tillage operations.