Browsing RP-Department of Environmental Science by Issue Date

Partial balance of nitrogen in a maize cropping system in humic nitisol of Central Kenya

Kimetu, J. M.; Mugendi, D.N.; Bationo, A.; Palm, C. A.; Mutuo, P. K.; Kihara, J.; Nandwa, S.; Giller, K. (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2006-11)

The application of nitrogen in a soil under agricultural production is subject to several pathways including de-nitrification, leaching and recovery by an annual crop. This is as well greatly influenced by the management ...

Effects of Organic and Mineral Fertilizer Inputs on Maize Yield and Soil Chemical Properties in a Maize Cropping System in Meru South District, Kenya

Mucheru-Muna, M.; Mugendi, D.N.; Kung'u, J.B.; Mugwe, J. N.; Batiano, A. (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2007)

Soil nutrient depletion as a result of continuous cultivation of soils without adequate addition of external inputs is a major challenge in the highlands of Kenya. An experiment was set up in Meru South District, Kenya in ...

Impacts of vegetative contour hedges on soil inorganic-N cycling and erosional losses in Arable Steep-lands of the Central Highlands of Kenya

Kung'u, J.B.; Verchot, Louis V.; Mugendi, D.N.; Mutegi, James K. (2007-01-10)

Moderate to steep landscapes and severe soil, water and nutrient losses characterize over 40% of arable land in the central highlands of Kenya. To study the effectiveness of biological methods in management and enhancement ...

Soil organic carbon dynamics, functions and management in West African agro-ecosystems

Vanlauwe, B.; Waswa, B.; Kimetu, J.; Kihara, J.; Bationo, A. (2007-04)

Soil fertility depletion has been described as the single most important constraint to food security in West Africa. Over half of the African population is rural and directly dependent on locally grown crops. Further, 28% ...

Effect of Plant Biomass, Manure and Inorganic Fertiliser on Maize Yield in the Central Highlands Of Kenya

Mugwe, J. N.; Mugendi, D.N.; Kung'u, J.B.; Mucheru-Muna, M. (African Crop Science Journal, 2007-08)

Soil fertility degradation remains the major biophysical cause of declining per capita crop production on smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa. Appropriate soil fertility regimes, are therefore, critical for improved ...

Scientific Evaluation of Smallholder Land use Knowledge in Central Kenya

Mugendi, D.N.; Mairura, F. S.; Mwanje, J. I.; Ramisch, J. J.; Mbugua, P. K.; Chianu, J. N. (Wiley InterScience, 2008)

The following study was conducted to determine smallholders’ land use management practices and agricultural indicators of soil quality within farmers’ fields in Chuka and Gachoka divisions in Kenya’s Central Highlands. ...

Effect of Small-Scale Farmers' Tree Nursery Growing Medium on Agroforestry Tree Seedlings' Quality in Mt.Kenya Region

Kung'u, J.B.; Kihara, J.; Mugendi, D.N.; Jaenicke, H. (Winter, 2008)

Consumption of n on timber forest products (NTFPs) in Kakamega forest, Western Kenya: accessibility, role and value to resident rural househol ds

Mugendi, D.N.; Mburu, J.; Kiplagat, A. K. (Department of SPRING, Dortmund University, Germany, 2008)

Dependency on natural resources in the ‘commons’ still ranks very high among rural communities in many developing countries. Kakamega forest in Kenya is one example of a local ‘common’ that supports a huge rural population. ...

Poverty, Energy, and Resource Use in Developing Countries: Focus on Africa.

Kirubi, C.; Kammen, D.M. (New York Academy of Sciences, 2008)

Energy poverty affects poor communities and poor nations far more severely, and more directly, than in developed nations. Poor rural communities are particularly vulnerable, and the poor globally spend by far the largest ...

Reversibility of Soil Productivity Decline with Organic Matter of Differing Quality Along a Degradation Gradient

Mugendi, D.N.; Kimetu, J. M.; Lehmann, J.; Ngoze, S. O. (Springer-Verlag, 2008-08)

In the highlands of Western Kenya, we investigated the reversibility of soil productivity decline with increasing length of continuous maize cultivation over 100 years (corresponding to decreasing soil organic carbon (SOC) ...

Combining napier grass with leguminous shrubs in contour hedgerows controls soil erosion without competing with crops

Mugendi, D.N.; Mutegi, J. K.; Verchot, L. V.; Kung'u, J.B. (Springer Netherlands, 2008-09)

We established hedges/barriers of calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meissner), leucaena (Leucaena trichandra (Zucc.) Urban)) and napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) and combination hedges of either calliandra or ...

Adoption potential of selected organic resources for improving soil fertility in the central highlands of Kenya

Mugwe, J.; Mucheru-Muna, M.; Mugendi, D.; Kung’u, J.B.; Bationo, A.; Mairura, F. (Springer Science+Business Media B.V., 2009)

Soil fertility decline is the major cause of declining crop yields in the central highlands of Kenya and elsewhere within the African continent. This paper reports a study conducted to assess adoption potential of two ...

Community-Based Electric Micro-Grids Can Contribute to Rural Development: Evidence from Kenya

Kirubi, C. (2009)

In this paper we clarify the mechanisms through which rural electrification can contribute to rural development. Through a detailed case study analysis of a community-based electric micro-grid in rural Kenya, we demonstrate ...

A staggered maize–legume intercrop arrangement robustly increases crop yields and economic returns in the highlands of Central Kenya

Mucheru-Muna, M.; Pypers, Pieter; Mugendi, D.N.; Kung'u, J.B.; Mugwe, J. N.; Merckx, R.; Vanlauwe, B. (Elseveir, 2009)

Smallholder farmers in East-Africa commonly intercrop maize (Zea mays L.) with grain legumes to maximize utilisation of land and labour, and attain larger crop yields. Conventionally, one legume line is intercropped between ...

Soil Mineral N Dynamics in a Maize Crop Following Different Soil Fertility Amendments in Different Soil Fertility Status in Sub-humid and Semi-arid Regions in Central Kenya

Mucheru-Muna, M.; Mugendi, D.N.; Mugwe, J. N.; Kung'u, J.B.; Merckx, R.; Vanlauwe, B. (Journal of Agricultural Biological and Environmental Statistics, 2009-01)

Abstract: Nitrogen is the major limiting nutrient in crop production and it is also one of the nutrients that is easily lost from the plant-soil system in various ways. Due to this, N supply, N management and N-use efficiency ...

Organic and Mineral Input Management to Enhance Crop Productivity in Central Kenya

Mugendi, D.N.; Chivenge, P.; Vanlauwe, B.; Gentile, R.; Wangechi, H.; van Kessel, C.; Six, J. (American Society of Agronomy, 2009-09)

Organic resources (ORs) are important nutrient inputs in tropical agriculture. Combined with mineral fertilizers, they form the backbone of integrated soil fertility management. This study was conducted to determine the ...

Effect of selected organic materials and inorganic fertilizer on the soil fertility of a Humic Nitisol in the central highlands of Kenya

Mugendi, D.N.; Mugwe, J. N.; Mucheru-Muna, M.; Odee, D.; Mairura, F. (Wiley [Commercial Publisher, 2009-09)

The effect on soil fertility of applying particular organic resources to a humic Nitisol in the central highlands of Kenya was studied. The organic resources (Calliandra calothyrsus, Leucaena trichandra, Tithonia diversifolia, ...