Articles | Volume 1, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-491-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-491-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Review article
| 
22 Jun 2015
Review article |
| 22 Jun 2015
Integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa: unravelling local adaptation
B. Vanlauwe
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nairobi, Kenya
K. Descheemaeker
Plant Production Systems, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 430, Wageningen, the Netherlands
K. E. Giller
Plant Production Systems, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 430, Wageningen, the Netherlands
J. Huising
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria
R. Merckx
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
G. Nziguheba
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nairobi, Kenya
J. Wendt
International Fertilizer Development Cooperation (IFDC), Nairobi, Kenya
S. Zingore
International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), Nairobi, Kenya
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Marijn Van de Broek, Fiona Stewart-Smith, Moritz Laub, Marc Corbeels, Monicah Wanjiku Mucheru-Muna, Daniel Mugendi, Wycliffe Waswa, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Johan Six
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To improve soil health and increase crop yields, organic matter is commenly added to arable soils. Studying the effect of different organic amenmends on soil organic carbon sequestration in four long-term field trials in Kenya, we found that only a small portion (< 7 %) of added carbon was stabilised. Moreover, this was only observed in the top 15 cm of the soil. These results underline the challenges associated with increasing the organic carbon content of tropical arable soils.
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We studied how different organic and inorganic nutrient inputs affect soil organic carbon (SOC) down to 70 cm in Kenya. After 19 years, all organic treatments increased SOC stocks as compared to the control, but mineral nitrogen had no significant effect. Manure was the organic treatment that significantly increased SOC the deepest as its effect could be observed down to 60 cm. Manure was the best strategy to limit SOC loss in croplands and maintain soil quality after deforestation.
Moritz Laub, Magdalena Necpalova, Marijn Van de Broek, Marc Corbeels, Samuel Mathu Ndungu, Monicah Wanjiku Mucheru-Muna, Daniel Mugendi, Rebecca Yegon, Wycliffe Waswa, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Johan Six
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We used the DayCent model to assess the potential impact of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) on maize production, soil fertility, and greenhouse gas emission in Kenya. After adjustments, DayCent represented measured mean yields and soil carbon stock changes well and N2O emissions acceptably. Our results showed that soil fertility losses could be reduced but not completely eliminated with ISFM and that, while N2O emissions increased with ISFM, emissions per kilogram yield decreased.
Moritz Laub, Marc Corbeels, Antoine Couëdel, Samuel Mathu Ndungu, Monicah Wanjiku Mucheru-Muna, Daniel Mugendi, Magdalena Necpalova, Wycliffe Waswa, Marijn Van de Broek, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Johan Six
SOIL, 9, 301–323, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-301-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-301-2023, 2023
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In sub-Saharan Africa, long-term low-input maize cropping threatens soil fertility. We studied how different quality organic inputs combined with mineral N fertilizer could counteract this. Farmyard manure was the best input to counteract soil carbon loss; mineral N fertilizer had no effect on carbon. Yet, the rates needed to offset soil carbon losses are unrealistic for farmers (>10 t of dry matter per hectare and year). Additional agronomic measures may be needed.
Laura Summerauer, Philipp Baumann, Leonardo Ramirez-Lopez, Matti Barthel, Marijn Bauters, Benjamin Bukombe, Mario Reichenbach, Pascal Boeckx, Elizabeth Kearsley, Kristof Van Oost, Bernard Vanlauwe, Dieudonné Chiragaga, Aimé Bisimwa Heri-Kazi, Pieter Moonen, Andrew Sila, Keith Shepherd, Basile Bazirake Mujinya, Eric Van Ranst, Geert Baert, Sebastian Doetterl, and Johan Six
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We present a soil mid-infrared library with over 1800 samples from central Africa in order to facilitate soil analyses of this highly understudied yet critical area. Together with an existing continental library, we demonstrate a regional analysis and geographical extrapolation to predict total carbon and nitrogen. Our results show accurate predictions and highlight the value that the data contribute to existing libraries. Our library is openly available for public use and for expansion.
Sebastian Doetterl, Rodrigue K. Asifiwe, Geert Baert, Fernando Bamba, Marijn Bauters, Pascal Boeckx, Benjamin Bukombe, Georg Cadisch, Matthew Cooper, Landry N. Cizungu, Alison Hoyt, Clovis Kabaseke, Karsten Kalbitz, Laurent Kidinda, Annina Maier, Moritz Mainka, Julia Mayrock, Daniel Muhindo, Basile B. Mujinya, Serge M. Mukotanyi, Leon Nabahungu, Mario Reichenbach, Boris Rewald, Johan Six, Anna Stegmann, Laura Summerauer, Robin Unseld, Bernard Vanlauwe, Kristof Van Oost, Kris Verheyen, Cordula Vogel, Florian Wilken, and Peter Fiener
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 4133–4153, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-4133-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-4133-2021, 2021
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The African Tropics are hotspots of modern-day land use change and are of great relevance for the global carbon cycle. Here, we present data collected as part of the DFG-funded project TropSOC along topographic, land use, and geochemical gradients in the eastern Congo Basin and the Albertine Rift. Our database contains spatial and temporal data on soil, vegetation, environmental properties, and land management collected from 136 pristine tropical forest and cropland plots between 2017 and 2020.
Marijn Van de Broek, Fiona Stewart-Smith, Moritz Laub, Marc Corbeels, Monicah Wanjiku Mucheru-Muna, Daniel Mugendi, Wycliffe Waswa, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Johan Six
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2287, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2287, 2025
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To improve soil health and increase crop yields, organic matter is commenly added to arable soils. Studying the effect of different organic amenmends on soil organic carbon sequestration in four long-term field trials in Kenya, we found that only a small portion (< 7 %) of added carbon was stabilised. Moreover, this was only observed in the top 15 cm of the soil. These results underline the challenges associated with increasing the organic carbon content of tropical arable soils.
Claude Raoul Müller, Johan Six, Daniel Mugendi Njiru, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Marijn Van de Broek
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2796, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2796, 2024
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Moritz Laub, Magdalena Necpalova, Marijn Van de Broek, Marc Corbeels, Samuel Mathu Ndungu, Monicah Wanjiku Mucheru-Muna, Daniel Mugendi, Rebecca Yegon, Wycliffe Waswa, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Johan Six
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We used the DayCent model to assess the potential impact of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) on maize production, soil fertility, and greenhouse gas emission in Kenya. After adjustments, DayCent represented measured mean yields and soil carbon stock changes well and N2O emissions acceptably. Our results showed that soil fertility losses could be reduced but not completely eliminated with ISFM and that, while N2O emissions increased with ISFM, emissions per kilogram yield decreased.
Moritz Laub, Marc Corbeels, Antoine Couëdel, Samuel Mathu Ndungu, Monicah Wanjiku Mucheru-Muna, Daniel Mugendi, Magdalena Necpalova, Wycliffe Waswa, Marijn Van de Broek, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Johan Six
SOIL, 9, 301–323, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-301-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-301-2023, 2023
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In sub-Saharan Africa, long-term low-input maize cropping threatens soil fertility. We studied how different quality organic inputs combined with mineral N fertilizer could counteract this. Farmyard manure was the best input to counteract soil carbon loss; mineral N fertilizer had no effect on carbon. Yet, the rates needed to offset soil carbon losses are unrealistic for farmers (>10 t of dry matter per hectare and year). Additional agronomic measures may be needed.
Laura Summerauer, Philipp Baumann, Leonardo Ramirez-Lopez, Matti Barthel, Marijn Bauters, Benjamin Bukombe, Mario Reichenbach, Pascal Boeckx, Elizabeth Kearsley, Kristof Van Oost, Bernard Vanlauwe, Dieudonné Chiragaga, Aimé Bisimwa Heri-Kazi, Pieter Moonen, Andrew Sila, Keith Shepherd, Basile Bazirake Mujinya, Eric Van Ranst, Geert Baert, Sebastian Doetterl, and Johan Six
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Sebastian Doetterl, Rodrigue K. Asifiwe, Geert Baert, Fernando Bamba, Marijn Bauters, Pascal Boeckx, Benjamin Bukombe, Georg Cadisch, Matthew Cooper, Landry N. Cizungu, Alison Hoyt, Clovis Kabaseke, Karsten Kalbitz, Laurent Kidinda, Annina Maier, Moritz Mainka, Julia Mayrock, Daniel Muhindo, Basile B. Mujinya, Serge M. Mukotanyi, Leon Nabahungu, Mario Reichenbach, Boris Rewald, Johan Six, Anna Stegmann, Laura Summerauer, Robin Unseld, Bernard Vanlauwe, Kristof Van Oost, Kris Verheyen, Cordula Vogel, Florian Wilken, and Peter Fiener
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 4133–4153, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-4133-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-4133-2021, 2021
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Rosa M. Poch, Lucia H. C. dos Anjos, Rafla Attia, Megan Balks, Adalberto Benavides-Mendoza, Martha M. Bolaños-Benavides, Costanza Calzolari, Lydia M. Chabala, Peter C. de Ruiter, Samuel Francke-Campaña, Fernando García Préchac, Ellen R. Graber, Siosiua Halavatau, Kutaiba M. Hassan, Edmond Hien, Ke Jin, Mohammad Khan, Maria Konyushkova, David A. Lobb, Matshwene E. Moshia, Jun Murase, Generose Nziguheba, Ashok K. Patra, Gary Pierzynski, Natalia Rodríguez Eugenio, and Ronald Vargas Rojas
SOIL, 6, 541–547, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-541-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-541-2020, 2020
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Humanity depends on the existence of healthy soils, both for the production of food and for ensuring a healthy, biodiverse environment. In the face of global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, a sustainable soil management strategy is essential to ensure food security based on more diverse, locally oriented, and resilient food production systems through improving access to land, sound land use planning, sustainable soil management, enhanced research, and investment in education and extension.
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Inducing banana Fusarium wilt disease suppression through soil microbiome reshaping by pineapple–banana rotation combined with biofertilizer application
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Kaihua Liao, Xiaoming Lai, and Qing Zhu
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Florian Schneider, Michael Klinge, Jannik Brodthuhn, Tino Peplau, and Daniela Sauer
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The central Mongolian forest steppe underlies a recent decline of forested area. We analysed the site and soil properties in the Khangai Mountains to identify differences between disturbed forest areas with and without regrowth of trees. More silty soils were found under areas with tree regrowth and more sandy soils under areas without tree regrowth. Due to the continental, semi-arid climate, soil properties which increase the amount of available water are decisive for tree regrowth in Mongolia.
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SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2021-49, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2021-49, 2021
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Sabura Shara, Rony Swennen, Jozef Deckers, Fantahun Weldesenbet, Laura Vercammen, Fassil Eshetu, Feleke Woldeyes, Guy Blomme, Roel Merckx, and Karen Vancampenhout
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John Kormla Nyameasem, Thorsten Reinsch, Friedhelm Taube, Charles Yaw Fosu Domozoro, Esther Marfo-Ahenkora, Iraj Emadodin, and Carsten Stefan Malisch
SOIL, 6, 523–539, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-523-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-523-2020, 2020
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Long-term studies on the impact of land use change and crop selection on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Accordingly, this study analysed the impact of converting natural grasslands to a range of low-input production systems in a tropical savannah on SOC stocks. Apart from the cultivation of legume tree and/or shrub species, all land management techniques were detrimental. Grazed grasslands in particular had almost 50 % less SOC than natural grasslands.
Benjamin Mary, Luca Peruzzo, Jacopo Boaga, Nicola Cenni, Myriam Schmutz, Yuxin Wu, Susan S. Hubbard, and Giorgio Cassiani
SOIL, 6, 95–114, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-95-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-95-2020, 2020
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The use of non-invasive geophysical imaging of root system processes is of increasing interest to study soil–plant interactions. The experiment focused on the behaviour of grapevine plants during a controlled infiltration experiment. The combination of the mise-à-la-masse (MALM) method, a variation of the classical electrical tomography map (ERT), for which the current is transmitted directly into the stem, holds the promise of being able to image root distribution.
Jörg Niederberger, Martin Kohler, and Jürgen Bauhus
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Phosphorus (P) seems to be a limiting factor for forest nutrition. At many German forest sites, trees show a deficiency in P nutrition. However, total soil P is an inadequate predictor to explain this malnutrition. We examined if soil properties such as pH, SOC, and soil texture may be used to predict certain P pools in large forest soil inventories. Models using soil properties and P pools with different bioavailability are not yet adequate to explain the P nutrition status in tree foliage.
Mohsen Morshedizad, Kerstin Panten, Wantana Klysubun, and Peter Leinweber
SOIL, 4, 23–35, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-23-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-23-2018, 2018
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We investigated how the composition of bone char (BC) particles altered in soil and affected the soil P speciation by fractionation and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Bone char particles (BC from pyrolysis of bone chips and BCplus, a BC enriched with S compounds) were collected at the end of incubation-leaching and ryegrass cultivation trials. Soil amendment with BCplus led to elevated P concentrations and maintained more soluble P species than BC even after ryegrass growth.
Imke K. Schäfer, Verena Lanny, Jörg Franke, Timothy I. Eglinton, Michael Zech, Barbora Vysloužilová, and Roland Zech
SOIL, 2, 551–564, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-551-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-551-2016, 2016
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For this study we systematically investigated the molecular pattern of leaf waxes in litter and topsoils along a European transect to assess their potential for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Our results show that leaf wax patterns depend on the type of vegetation. The vegetation signal is not only found in the litter; it can also be preserved to some degree in the topsoil.
Martina I. Gocke, Fabian Kessler, Jan M. van Mourik, Boris Jansen, and Guido L. B. Wiesenberg
SOIL, 2, 537–549, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-537-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-537-2016, 2016
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Investigation of a Dutch sandy profile demonstrated that buried soils provide beneficial growth conditions for plant roots in terms of nutrients. The intense exploitation of deep parts of the soil profile, including subsoil and soil parent material, by roots of the modern vegetation is often underestimated by traditional approaches. Potential consequences of deep rooting for terrestrial carbon stocks, located to a relevant part in buried soils, remain largely unknown and require further studies.
Sanjib K. Behera, Arvind K. Shukla, Brahma S. Dwivedi, and Brij L. Lakaria
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2016-41, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2016-41, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Zinc (Zn) deficiency is widespread in all types of soils of world including acid soils affecting crop production and nutritional quality of edible plant parts. The present study was carried out to assess the effects of lime and farmyard manure addition to two acid soils of India on soil properties, extractable zinc by different extractants, dry matter yield, Zn concentration and uptake by maize. Increased level of lime application led to enhancement of soil pH and reduction in extractable Zn in
Damaris Roosendaal, Catherine E. Stewart, Karolien Denef, Ronald F. Follett, Elizabeth Pruessner, Louise H. Comas, Gary E. Varvel, Aaron Saathoff, Nathan Palmer, Gautam Sarath, Virginia L. Jin, Marty Schmer, and Madhavan Soundararajan
SOIL, 2, 185–197, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-185-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-185-2016, 2016
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Switchgrass is a deep-rooted perennial grass bioenergy crop that can sequester soil C. Although switchgrass ecotypes vary in root biomass and architecture, little is known about their effect on soil microbial communities throughout the soil profile. By examining labeled root-C uptake in the microbial community, we found that ecotypes supported different microbial communities. The more fungal community associated with the upland ecotype could promote C sequestration by enhancing soil aggregation.
S. Seitz, P. Goebes, Z. Song, H. Bruelheide, W. Härdtle, P. Kühn, Y. Li, and T. Scholten
SOIL, 2, 49–61, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-49-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-49-2016, 2016
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Different tree species affect interrill erosion, but a higher tree species richness does not mitigate soil losses in young subtropical forest stands. Different tree morphologies and tree traits (e.g. crown cover or tree height) have to be considered when assessing erosion in forest ecosystems. If a leaf litter cover is not present, the remaining soil surface cover by stones and biological soil crusts is the most important driver for soil erosion control.
J. M. Terrón, J. Blanco, F. J. Moral, L. A. Mancha, D. Uriarte, and J. R. Marques da Silva
SOIL, 1, 459–473, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-459-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-459-2015, 2015
A. Bonfante, A. Agrillo, R. Albrizio, A. Basile, R. Buonomo, R. De Mascellis, A. Gambuti, P. Giorio, G. Guida, G. Langella, P. Manna, L. Minieri, L. Moio, T. Siani, and F. Terribile
SOIL, 1, 427–441, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-427-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-427-2015, 2015
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This paper aims to test a new physically oriented approach to viticulture zoning at the farm scale which is strongly rooted in hydropedology and aims to achieve a better use of environmental features with respect to plant requirement and wine production. The physics of our approach are defined by the use of soil-plant-atmosphere simulation models which apply physically based equations to describe the soil hydrological processes and solve soil-plant water status.
J. Mao, K. G. J. Nierop, M. Rietkerk, and S. C. Dekker
SOIL, 1, 411–425, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-411-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-411-2015, 2015
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In this study we show how soil water repellency (SWR) is linked to the quantity and quality of SWR markers in soils mainly derived from vegetation. To predict the SWR of topsoils, we find the strongest relationship with ester-bound alcohols, and for subsoils with root-derived ω-hydroxy fatty acids and α,ω-dicarboxylic acids. From this we conclude that, overall, roots influence SWR more strongly than leaves and subsequently SWR markers derived from roots predict SWR better.
E. Vaudour, E. Costantini, G. V. Jones, and S. Mocali
SOIL, 1, 287–312, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-287-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-287-2015, 2015
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Terroir chemical and biological footprinting and geospatial technologies are promising for the management of terroir units, particularly remote and proxy data in conjunction with spatial statistics. In practice, the managed zones will be updatable and the effects of viticultural and/or soil management practices might be easier to control. The prospect of facilitated terroir spatial monitoring makes it possible to address the issue of terroir sustainability.
L. Brillante, O. Mathieu, B. Bois, C. van Leeuwen, and J. Lévêque
SOIL, 1, 273–286, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-273-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-273-2015, 2015
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The available soil water (ASW) is a major contributor to the viticulture "terroir". Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) allows for measurements of soil water accurately and with low disturbance. This work reviews the use of ERT to spatialise soil water and ASW. A case example is also presented: differences in water uptake (as evaluated by fraction of transpirable soil water variations) depending on grapevine water status (as measured by leaf water potential) are evidenced and mapped.
E. Bochet
SOIL, 1, 131–146, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-131-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-131-2015, 2015
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Since seeds are the principle means by which plants move across the landscape, the final fate of seeds plays a fundamental role in the origin, maintenance, functioning and dynamics of plant communities. In arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems, where seeds are scattered into a heterogeneous environment and intense rainfalls occur, the transport of seeds by runoff to new sites represents an opportunity for seeds to reach more favourable sites for seed germination and seedling survival.
S. Czarnecki and R.-A. Düring
SOIL, 1, 23–33, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-23-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-23-2015, 2015
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This study covers both aspects of understanding of soil system and soil contamination after 14 years of fertilizer application and residual effects of the fertilization 8 years after cessation of fertilizer treatment. Although many grassland fertilizer experiments have been performed worldwide, information about residual effects of fertilizer applications on grassland ecosystem functioning is still rare. This study reports the importance of monitoring of the long-term impact of fertilization.
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Short summary
The "local adaptation" component of integrated soil fertility management operates at field and farm scale. At field scale, the application of implements other than improved germplasm, fertilizer, and organic inputs can enhance the agronomic efficiency (AE) of fertilizer. Examples include the application of lime, secondary and micronutrients, water harvesting, and soil tillage practices. At farm scale, targeting fertilizer within variable farms is shown to significantly affect AE of fertilizer.
The "local adaptation" component of integrated soil fertility management operates at field and...
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