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37 results on '"Chiduza, Cornelius"'

8. Incorporated Sorghum Residues Reduce Emergence and Seedling Growth of Some Crops

Author

Tibugari, Handsen, Chiduza, Cornelius, Bray Mashingaidze, Arnold, Mabasa, Stanford, Tibugari, Handsen, Chiduza, Cornelius, Bray Mashingaidze, Arnold, and Mabasa, Stanford

Abstract

Allelochemicals from sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] residues may inhibit the emergence and growth of other crops. We examined the effects of residues from two sorghum landraces, IS9456, a high sorgoleone producer, and IS22320, a zero sorgoleone producer. Residues were applied at 7.2 g, 14.4 g and 21.6 g kg-1 of soil. Emergence and the growth of maize (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] were tested in three glasshouse pot experiments at the University of Zimbabwe in 2017. The 2×3 factorial experiments were laid as a randomized complete block design with six replications. Residues from IS22320 significantly (P<0.05) reduced the emergence of maize by 22.2% compared to residues from IS9456. Sorghum variety as a source of residue did not significantly (P>0.05) reduce the emergence, height, chlorophyll content or dry weight of soybean. Increasing the residue rate significantly (P<0.05) reduced the percent emergence, height, chlorophyll content and dry weight of soybean. There was a significant sorghum variety × residue application rate interaction on the percent emergence (P<0.001) and chlorophyll content (P<0.05) of wheat. Increasing the IS9456 residue application rate from 7.2 to 14.4 g kg-1 soil increased the chlorophyll content of wheat. The timing of maize and wheat planting after sorghum residue incorporation may be critical.

Published
2021

11. Effect of conservation agriculture on selected soil physical properties on a haplic cambisol in Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Author

Nyambo, Patrick, Chiduza, Cornelius, and Araya, Tesfay

Subjects
*CROP residues, *CROP rotation, *SOILS, *BIOCHAR, *AGRICULTURE
Abstract

Conservation agriculture (CA) is believed to contribute to sustainable crop production. However, there are contrasting reports on its short-term effects on soil properties. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of CA on bulk density (BD), porosity, mean weight diameter (MWD) and penetration resistance (PR) in a semiarid province of South Africa (SA). A split–split–plot design was used; the main treatment factor was allocated to tillage [(Conventional Tillage (CT) and No-Till (NT)], sub-factor of crop rotation [(Maize-Fallow- Maize (MFM), Maize–Oat–Maize (MOM and Maize–Vetch–Maize (MVM))] and sub-sub factor of residue management [(retention (R+); removal (R-) and biochar (B)]. No-tillage, significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC) compared to CT at the 0–5 cm depth. Tillage, crop rotation and residue management significantly (P < 0.01) affected MWD at the 0–5 cm depth, but not (p > 0.05) on BD, porosity and PR. The lack of significant differences, in both NT and CT plots, between biochar applications and residue retention with respect to BD, MWD across seasons and PR, also show that biochar can potentially be used as a crop residue strategy in a CA system. However, there is a need to further tests and also explore the biochar crop residue retention combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2022
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15. Carbon Dioxide Fluxes and Carbon Stocks under Conservation Agricultural Practices in South Africa

Author

Chiduza Cornelius, Patrick Nyambo, and Tesfay Araya

Subjects
Crop residue, Conventional tillage, 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences, Plant Science, Soil carbon, 010501 environmental sciences, Crop rotation, 01 natural sciences, soil organic carbon, Tillage, conservation agriculture, Agronomy, greenhouse gas, Biochar, Soil water, 040103 agronomy & agriculture, 0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, Environmental science, biochar, Agronomy and Crop Science, Water content, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Food Science
Abstract

Understanding the impacts of agricultural practices on carbon stocks and CO2 emission is imperative in order to recommend low emission strategies. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of tillage, crop rotation, and residue management on soil CO2 fluxes, carbon stock, soil temperature, and moisture in the semi-arid conditions in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The field trial was laid out as a split-split-plot design replicated three times. The main plots were tillage viz conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT). The sub-plots were allocated to crop rotations viz maize&ndash, fallow&ndash, maize (MFM), maize&ndash, oat&ndash, maize (MOM), and maize&ndash, vetch&ndash, maize (MVM). Crop residue management was in the sub-sub plots, viz retention (R+), removal (R&minus, ), and biochar (B). There were no significant interactions (p &gt, 0.05) with respect to the cumulative CO2 fluxes, soil moisture, and soil temperature. Crop residue retention significantly increased the soil moisture content relative to residue removal, but was not different to biochar application. Soil tilling increased the CO2 fluxes by approximately 26.3% relative to the NT. The carbon dioxide fluxes were significantly lower in R&minus, (2.04 &micro, moL m&minus, 2 s&minus, 1) relative to the R+ (2.32 &micro, 1) and B treatments (2.36 &micro, 1). The carbon dioxide fluxes were higher in the summer (October&ndash, February) months compared to the winter period (May&ndash, July), irrespective of treatment factors. No tillage had a significantly higher carbon stock at the 0-5 cm depth relative to CT. Amending the soils with biochar resulted in significantly lower total carbon stock relative to both R+ and R&minus, The results of the study show that NT can potentially reduce CO2 fluxes. In the short term, amending soils with biochar did not reduce the CO2 fluxes compared to R+, however the soil moisture increases were comparable.

Published
2020

19. Soil C sequestration and CO2fluxes under maize-based Conservation Agriculture systems in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Author

Muzangwa, Lindah, Mnkeni, Pearson Nyari Stephano, and Chiduza, Cornelius

Abstract

Traditional farming methods deplete soil carbon and contribute to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. We investigated the effects of Conservation Agriculture principles on C sequestration and CO2flux from two agroecological regions in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa, over five cropping seasons in the period 2012–2015. The field trials were laid in a split–split plot design. The main treatments were the tillage system, as conventional tillage or no-till. The sub-treatments were the crop rotation pattern: maize–fallow–maize (MFM); maize–fallow–soybean (MFS); maize– wheat–maize (MWM); or maize–wheat–soybean (MWS). Residue management after each crop in rotation was residue removal (R–) or residue retention (R+). The biomass and C-inputs by the crop rotations were both in the order: MWM > MWS > MFM > MFS. R+resulted in greater levels of particulate organic matter (POM) than R–. The former was the only factor to significantly (p< 0.05) increase soil organic carbon (SOC) in the 0–5 cm depth layer at both sites after two years. CO2flux under conventional tillage was 20% higher than with no-till. The CO2fluxes were significantly influenced by air temperature (p< 0.001, r2= 0.41) and soil bulk density (p< 0.001, r2= 0.16). The results suggest that MWM or MWS crop rotation in conjunction with R+under no-till offer the greatest potential for biomass and C-inputs, and consequently C sequestration, in sub-humid and semi-arid agroecological regions of South Africa.

Published
2021
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24. Genotype x environment interactions and yield stability of stress-tolerant open-pollinated maize varieties in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

Author

Chimonyo, Vimbayi GP, Mutengwa, Charles S, and Chiduza, Cornelius

Abstract

Genotype x environment interactions are inherent in multilocational trials and complicate identification of superior genotypes. The aim of the study was to determine yield performance and stability of 13 maize genotypes in five locations of the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. The genotypes assessed were: ZM305, ZM423, ZM501, ZM525, ZM621, ZM627 and Obatanpa from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre; BR993 and COMP4 from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture; four local checks, AFRIC 1, Okavango, Nelson’s Choice, and PAN 6479. Yield data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis. According to ANOVA, genotype x environment interaction was significant. PAN 6479 (5.21 t ha−1) and ZM525 (5.19 t ha−1) were the highest-yielding varieties, whereas Okavango (4.08 t ha−1) showed the lowest yield. Based on AMMI analysis, BR993 and Obatanpa were the least stable genotypes. PAN 6479 and ZM525 showed specific adaptations to high potential environments. Obatanpa was adapted to environments with low-yielding potential, since improvement of the environment did not improve its yield. ZM501 was the most stable genotype, and showed no significant yield difference to PAN 6479. ZM501 can therefore be assigned to several environments in the Eastern Cape.Keywords: additive main effects and multiplicative interaction, AMMI stability values, genotype x environment interaction, yield stabilitySouth African Journal of Plant and Soil 2014, 31(2): 61–68

Published
2014

25. Short CommunicationA vetch winter cover crop can improve response to nitrogen fertiliser and profitability of no-till maize

Author

Dube, Ernest, Chiduza, Cornelius, and Muchaonyerwa, Pardon

Abstract

A high nitrogen (N) fertiliser requirement can be a deterrent to the adoption of conservation agriculture (CA). A field trial was carried out to test whether a high biomass-yielding vetch (Vicia dasycarpa L.) winter cover crop can be used to improve N response and profitability of a subsequent maize (Zea mays L.) crop under no-till and irrigation. There were five N fertilisation treatments (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg ha−1). Maize grain yield after vetch was higher than that after a fallow (no winter cover crop) for most of the cases when the N fertiliser application rate was below 180 kg ha−1. Where no N fertiliser was applied, maize yields after vetch were 4.71 and 7.26 tons ha−1 for the first and second seasons, translating into an N fertiliser replacement value of approximately 90 kg N ha−1. The highest marginal rate of return for vetch over the two maize seasons (399% and 649%) was obtained at a fertiliser rate of 0 kg N ha−1. These data from preliminary CA studies in the Eastern Cape highlight the importance of promoting legume winter cover crops as an entry point to CA, especially for poor maize farmers who cannot afford N fertiliser.Keywords: conservation agriculture, grazing vetch, maize grain yield, nitrogen fertiliser rateSouth African Journal of Plant and Soil 2014, 31(1): 45–48

Published
2014

28. Quantification of sorgoleone in sorghum accessions from eight southern African countries

Author

Tibugari, Handsen, Chiduza, Cornelius, Mashingaidze, Arnold B, and Mabasa, Stanford

Abstract

Allelopathic effects of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench) can ease weed pressure and improve grain yields if cultivars capable of producing high levels of natural chemicals effective in suppressing weeds of economic importance are identified. Three hundred and fifty three sorghum accessions fom Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe were screened for sorgoleone content using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in 2016. Three replicates of seeds of each accession were germinated in petri dishes at the University of Zimbabwe. Roots of six-day-old seedlings were excised from shoots and immersed in methanol to extract sorgoleone. The crude extract was filtered, evaporated and dissolved in the mobile phase (1 mg mL−1) prior to HPLC analysis. One-way ANOVA showed that there were highly significant differences in sorgoleone production among the sorghum cultivars (p< 0.001). The South African landrace IS9456 yielded the highest sorgoleone (584.69 μg mg−1root fresh weight). High levels of sorgoleone were also detected in accessions from Botswana as well as in wild sorghum from Zimbabwe. Improved sorghums had very little sorgoleone. It was concluded that some landraces and wild sorghum have high potential for use in allelopathic weed control.

Published
2019
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36. High biomass yielding winter cover crops can improve phosphorus availability in soil.

Author

Dube, Ernest, Chiduza, Cornelius, and Muchaonyerwa, Pardon

Subjects
*BIOMASS production, *COVER crops, *PHOSPHORUS in soils, *VETCH, *OATS, *FERTILIZERS for corn, *SINGLE cell lipids
Abstract

We investigated the effects of high biomass yielding winter cover crops, namely grazing vetch (Vicia dasycarpa L.) and oats (Avena sativa L.), on soil phosphorus (P) availability in low fertiliser input maize-based conservation agriculture systems. Soil samples were collected from the 0-50-mm depth of experimental plots after 4 years of maize-winter cover crop rotations. A sequential fractionation scheme was used to separate total soil P into labile, moderately labile and non-labile organic P (Po) and inorganic (Pi) pools. Labile P pools included microbial biomass-P as well as Pi and Po pools extracted using 0.5 M NaHCO3 and 1.0 M HCl. The non-labile P pools were humic-P and 1.0 M H2SO4 extracted P. Soil on the maize-winter cover crop rotations had higher HCl-Pi and total P than the soil on the maize-fallow rotation. The cover crops had no significant (p>0.05) effect on NaHCO3-Po, NaHCO3-Pi, HCl-Po, fulvic acid-P and recalcitrant H2SO4-P fractions. Non-application of fertiliser increased accumulation of humic-P on the maize-oats rotation. Cover crop biomass input explained 73% of the variations in microbial biomass-P and 33% of variations in total labile P. Phosphorus concentration of young maize plants was significantly increased by the cover crops, with a positive correlation to HCl-Pi (rs=0.90). This contribution from winter cover crops to P availability in the surface soil suggests that, in the long term, fertiliser P could be reduced in such systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2014
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37. Clipping Forage Sorghum Twice and Nitrogen Topdressing Offer an Option for Dual-Purpose Use for Cover Cropping and Fodder in Mixed Crop/Livestock Farming Systems.

Author

Janhi, Kudzayi, Matshaya, Zimkhitha, Chiduza, Cornelius, and Muzangwa, Lindah

Subjects
FODDER crops, LIVESTOCK farms, ANIMAL feeds, COVER crops, FORAGE, SORGHUM, FORAGE plants, NITROGEN
Abstract

Management practices that promote dual-purpose use of cover crops as forage and soil cover can encourage adoption in mixed smallholder (SH) farming systems. This study investigated the feasibility of dual-purpose use of forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum bicolor var. sudanense) by testing the effects of clipping frequency and nitrogen (N) topdressing on the root biomass, crude protein (CP), acid detergent (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in the greenhouse and vegetative biomass on the experimental farm station. Four levels of clipping were tested: not clipped (C1), clipped once (C2), twice (C3), and thrice (C4). Nitrogen topdressing had two levels: with (N1) and without (N0) recommended supplementary N. Results show that absence of N topdressing significantly (p < 0.05) increased root biomass in C2, while increasing clipping frequency significantly (p < 0.001) decreased root biomass. During the growing period, N topdressing significantly (p < 0.001) increased CP content in C3 and C4 and NDF (p < 0.01) content in C4. At the termination stage, there was a significant interaction between clipping frequency and N topdressing on the biomass yield obtained in both 2016–2017 (p < 0.05) and 2017–2018 (p < 0.001), respectively. Clipping twice and N topdressing emerged as the best management practice for the dual-purpose of soil cover and livestock feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2020
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