Articles | Volume 9, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-301-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-301-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
05 Jun 2023
Original research article |
| 05 Jun 2023
| 05 Jun 2023
Managing soil organic carbon in tropical agroecosystems: evidence from four long-term experiments in Kenya
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Marc Corbeels
CIRAD, Avenue d'Agropolis, 34398 Montpellier, France
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), c/o ICIPE Compound, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Antoine Couëdel
CIRAD, Avenue d'Agropolis, 34398 Montpellier, France
Samuel Mathu Ndungu
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), c/o ICIPE Compound, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Monicah Wanjiku Mucheru-Muna
Department of Environmental Sciences and Education, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Daniel Mugendi
Department of Land and Water Management, University of Embu, P.O. Box 6-60100, Embu, Kenya
Magdalena Necpalova
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Wycliffe Waswa
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), c/o ICIPE Compound, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Marijn Van de Broek
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Bernard Vanlauwe
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), c/o ICIPE Compound, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Johan Six
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Long-term soil organic carbon and crop yield feedbacks differ between 16 soil-crop models in sub-Saharan Africa A. Couëdel et al. 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127109
- Drivers of soil organic carbon stocks at village scale in a sub-humid region of Zimbabwe R. Nyawasha et al. 10.1016/j.catena.2025.108843
- Influence of cover crops and their traits on the yield of main annual crops grown in tropical and subtropical environments – A meta-analysis D. Mauryo Fassinou et al. 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110201
- The input reduction principle of agroecology is wrong when it comes to mineral fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa G. Falconnier et al. 10.1177/00307270231199795
- From smallholder to commercial farming: the impact of termite mound levelling and spatial heterogeneity in mound morphology on soil organic carbon in Miombo woodlands, Central Africa X. Ou et al. 10.1007/s10980-025-02097-x
- Long-term organic matter inputs enhance soil health and reduce soil-borne pathogen pressure in maize-bean rotations in Kenya J. Mutai et al. 10.1016/j.agee.2024.109402
- Mapping soil organic carbon as soil health indicator of cocoa landscapes in middle Côte d’Ivoire G. Kouassi et al. 10.1016/j.iswcr.2025.09.002
- Depth effects of long-term organic residue application on soil organic carbon stocks in central Kenya C. Müller et al. 10.5194/bg-22-2733-2025
- Multivariate regional deep learning prediction of soil properties from near-infrared, mid-infrared and their combined spectra R. Nyawasha et al. 10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00805
- Modeling integrated soil fertility management for maize production in Kenya using a Bayesian calibration of the DayCent model M. Laub et al. 10.5194/bg-21-3691-2024
- Soil organic carbon stocks and fertility in smallholder indigenous agroforestry systems of the North-Eastern mountains, Tanzania O. Kimaro et al. 10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00759
- The potential to increase maize yields and mitigate climate change by adopting integrated soil fertility management across different regions in Kenya — A simulation study M. Laub et al. 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104477
- Evaluating DayCent and STICS in simulating the long-term impact of contrasting organic resource amendments on soil organic carbon and maize yields in sub-Saharan Africa A. Couëdel et al. 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110169
- Mulch application as the overarching factor explaining increase in soil organic carbon stocks under conservation agriculture in two 8-year-old experiments in Zimbabwe A. Shumba et al. 10.5194/soil-10-151-2024
- Shifting focus from external to in situ organic resources – The redesign of four tropical long-term experiments M. Laub et al. 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127194
- Combined Mineral and Organic Fertilizer Application Enhances Soil Organic Carbon and Maize Yield in Semi-Arid Kenya: A DNDC Model-Based Prediction S. Aluoch et al. 10.3390/agronomy15020346
- Long-term impacts of farming systems and preceding crops on soil organic carbon and physiochemical properties in Vertisols of subtropical India A. Singh et al. 10.1016/j.soilad.2025.100083
- Effects of Complex Fertilizers on the Properties of Grey Forest Heavy Loamy Soil S. Gaidar et al. 10.1155/2024/2763147
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Long-term soil organic carbon and crop yield feedbacks differ between 16 soil-crop models in sub-Saharan Africa A. Couëdel et al. 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127109
- Drivers of soil organic carbon stocks at village scale in a sub-humid region of Zimbabwe R. Nyawasha et al. 10.1016/j.catena.2025.108843
- Influence of cover crops and their traits on the yield of main annual crops grown in tropical and subtropical environments – A meta-analysis D. Mauryo Fassinou et al. 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110201
- The input reduction principle of agroecology is wrong when it comes to mineral fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa G. Falconnier et al. 10.1177/00307270231199795
- From smallholder to commercial farming: the impact of termite mound levelling and spatial heterogeneity in mound morphology on soil organic carbon in Miombo woodlands, Central Africa X. Ou et al. 10.1007/s10980-025-02097-x
- Long-term organic matter inputs enhance soil health and reduce soil-borne pathogen pressure in maize-bean rotations in Kenya J. Mutai et al. 10.1016/j.agee.2024.109402
- Mapping soil organic carbon as soil health indicator of cocoa landscapes in middle Côte d’Ivoire G. Kouassi et al. 10.1016/j.iswcr.2025.09.002
- Depth effects of long-term organic residue application on soil organic carbon stocks in central Kenya C. Müller et al. 10.5194/bg-22-2733-2025
- Multivariate regional deep learning prediction of soil properties from near-infrared, mid-infrared and their combined spectra R. Nyawasha et al. 10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00805
- Modeling integrated soil fertility management for maize production in Kenya using a Bayesian calibration of the DayCent model M. Laub et al. 10.5194/bg-21-3691-2024
- Soil organic carbon stocks and fertility in smallholder indigenous agroforestry systems of the North-Eastern mountains, Tanzania O. Kimaro et al. 10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00759
- The potential to increase maize yields and mitigate climate change by adopting integrated soil fertility management across different regions in Kenya — A simulation study M. Laub et al. 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104477
- Evaluating DayCent and STICS in simulating the long-term impact of contrasting organic resource amendments on soil organic carbon and maize yields in sub-Saharan Africa A. Couëdel et al. 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110169
- Mulch application as the overarching factor explaining increase in soil organic carbon stocks under conservation agriculture in two 8-year-old experiments in Zimbabwe A. Shumba et al. 10.5194/soil-10-151-2024
- Shifting focus from external to in situ organic resources – The redesign of four tropical long-term experiments M. Laub et al. 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127194
- Combined Mineral and Organic Fertilizer Application Enhances Soil Organic Carbon and Maize Yield in Semi-Arid Kenya: A DNDC Model-Based Prediction S. Aluoch et al. 10.3390/agronomy15020346
- Long-term impacts of farming systems and preceding crops on soil organic carbon and physiochemical properties in Vertisols of subtropical India A. Singh et al. 10.1016/j.soilad.2025.100083
- Effects of Complex Fertilizers on the Properties of Grey Forest Heavy Loamy Soil S. Gaidar et al. 10.1155/2024/2763147
Latest update: 30 Oct 2025
Short summary
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.
In sub-Saharan Africa, long-term low-input maize cropping threatens soil fertility. We studied...
