Aludeka SOM trial Kenya
- Objective
- (i) To determine the relationship between organic resource quality/quantity and the quantity/quality of the SOM pool and distinct SOM fractions for a set of soils and climates relevant for the target benchmark areas; (ii) To evaluate the impact of inherent soil properties (e.g. texture) and climate on the relationships between organic resource quality/quantity and the quantity/quality of the SOM pool and distinct SOM fractions; (iii) To quantify the effect of fertilizer N and growing crops on the relationships between organic resource quality/quantity and the quantity/quality of the SOM pool and distinct SOM fractions;
- Description
- The experiments test Integrated Fertility management options for Maize in four locations (Embu, Machanga, Sidada, Aludeka)The experiment aims at unravelling relationships between the quality of organic resources and the quantity/quality of the SOM pool and distinct SOM fractions as affected by various modifiers of the decomposition process.
- Data Access Statement
- Available to collaborators only
- Data Access Notes
- Anyone interested in using the data from SOM trials in Kenya needs to contact Bernard Vanlauwe and then it will be discussed if a collaboration is possible and access for free can be provided versus no collaboration with the cost to the data access will be agreed.
- Data license
- No data license
- Data policy
- No
- Organizations
- IITAresearch organisationETH Zurichresearch organisationSNSFfunding agency
- People
- Bernard Vanlauweprincipal investigatorConsultative Group on International Agricultural Research, Nayrobi, kenyaJoahn Sixprincipal investigatorETH Zurich, SwitzerlandMonicah Mucheru-Munaexperiment managerKenyatta University, Nairobi, KenyaWaswa Wycliffeexperiment managerInternational Centre for Tropical Agriculture(CIAT), Kisumu, KenyaMagdalena Necpalovadata managerETH Zurich, SwitzerlandJohn Mukalamaexperiment managerInternational Centre for Tropical Agriculture(CIAT), Kisumu, Kenya
Site: Aludeka
- Type
- research station field
- Location
- AludekaTeso DistrictKenya
- Geographic location
- 0.5746389, 34.1887002
- Elevation
- 1100 Metres
- Visits permitted?
- Yes
- Visiting arrangements
- By arrangement with John Mukalama
- Management
- Integrated soil fertility management. The organic residues are applied only at the start of the first season. Each plot receives 60 kg P/ha and 60 kg K/ha per growing season. Tillage by hand
- Soil type
- acrisol
- Soil properties
Variable Depth Value (range) Units Ref year Estimated? Baseline? total soil nitrogen 0 – 15 Centimetres 0.08 Percent 2002 soil total carbon 0 – 15 Centimetres 0.83 Percent 2002 plant available phosphorous 0 – 15 Centimetres 6.04 parts per million 2002 soil pH 0 – 15 Centimetres 5.49 2002 sand content 0 – 15 Centimetres 84.7 Percent 2002 silt content 0 – 15 Centimetres 7.45 Percent 2002 clay content 0 – 15 Centimetres 7.9 Percent 2002 total soil nitrogen 0 – 15 Centimetres 0.06 Percent 2005 soil total carbon 0 – 15 Centimetres 0.7 Percent 2002 total soil phosphorous 0 – 15 Centimetres 88.17 milligram per kilogram 2005 soil pH 0 – 15 Centimetres 6.14 2005 - Climatic type
- tropical savanna climate
- Climate properties
Variable Time period Value (range) Units precipitation 2002 – 2007 1531.4 (1334.11 – 1983.43) millimeter
Design period: (2005—)
- Design Type
- split split plot
- Description
- Plots measure 6 x 6 m
- Number of blocks
- 3
- Number of plots
- 33
- Number of subplots
- 66
- Number of replicates
- 3
- Number of harvests per year
- 2
- Crop
Crop Years grown maize - Factors
- Factor name
- Factor levels
- crop residue management process Plot application: Whole plot
Tithonia diversifolia (1.2 t/ha)
Tithonia diversifolia (4 t/ha)
Calliandra calothyrsus (1.2 t/ha)
Calliandra calothyrsus (4 t/ha)
maize stover (1.2 t/ha)
maize stover (4 t/ha)
sawdust (1.2 t/ha)
sawdust (4 t/ha)
farmyard manure (1.2 t/ha)
farmyard manure (4 t/ha)
control exposure
- nitrogen fertilizer exposure Plot application: Whole plot
control exposure
nitrogen (120 kgN/ha)
- cropping system Plot application: Whole plot
cropped
bare fallow
- Measurements
Variable Material Units Frequency Scale Comment grain yield trait maize t/ha biannual cropped plots core biomass maize t/ha biannual cropped plots stover biomass maize t/ha biannual cropped plots plant biomass maize t/ha biannual cropped plots soil organic carbon Soil % irregular sample per site total soil nitrogen Soil % irregular sample per site total soil phosphorous Soil % irregular sample per site soil pH Soil irregular cropped plots concentration of nitrate in soil Soil mg/kg Collected 3 times during 2018 rainy season cropped plots concentration of ammonium in soil Soil mg/kg Collected 3 times during 2018 rainy season cropped plots