Optimizing Nutrient Use Efficiency and Returns from Soybean Production under Smallholders in Three Agro-Ecologies of Malawi - Agricultural Sciences

AS > Vol.8 No.8, August 2017

Optimizing Nutrient Use Efficiency and Returns from Soybean Production under Smallholders in Three Agro-Ecologies of Malawi ()

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DOI: 10.4236/as.2017.88059 1,250 Downloads 2,456 Views Citations

Author(s)

Moses Munthali^1*, Patson Nalivata², Wilkson Makumba³, Emmanuel Mbewe², Hastings Manase², George Oduor⁴, Martin Macharia⁴, Kaizzi Kayuki⁵

Affiliation(s)

¹Chitedze Agricultural Research Station, Lilongwe, Malawi.
²Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bunda Campus, Lilongwe, Malawi.
³Department of Agricultural Research Services, Lilongwe, Malawi.
⁴CAB International Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁵National Agricultural Research Laboratories, Kampala, Uganda.

ABSTRACT

Field trials were conducted to determine the economically optimum fertilizer rates for soybean production and for optimizing net profits in Dedza, Lilongwe and Salima Districts of Malawi. The effects of PK fertilizer rates on rain use efficiency (RUE), harvest index, agronomic use efficiency of phosphorous (AEP) and potassium (AEK), and value cost ratio (VCR) were evaluated. The applied diagnostic PK fertilizer rates significantly improved soybean grain yields, harvest index, rainwater use efficiency, AEP, AEK and returns to fertilizer use expressed as value cost ratio (VCR). However, the results differed significantly (P < 0.01) among the three agro-ecological zones. The VCR values indicated that the most economical and profitable fertilizer rate was 7.5 kg/ha P in Salima, Dedza and Lilongwe. The lowest economical and profitable NP fertilizer rate was 22.5 kg/ha P plus 20 kg/ha K for Dedza and Lilongwe and 15 kg/ha P plus 30 kg/ha K for Salima District. All the VCR values obtained from applying different PK fertilizer nutrient rates were above two implying that all the applied fertilizer rates had a good value of returns to adequately cover against any risks associated with using fertilizers at small-scale under smallholder farms with inadequate financial resources. The results also presented different available NP fertilizer application rate options for maximizing profits for the financially constrained smallholder farmers.

KEYWORDS

Soybean, Net Returns, Economically Optimum Rates, Agronomic Use Efficiency of Phosphorous and Potassium, Nutrient Combination, Value Cost Ratio

Share and Cite:

Munthali, M. , Nalivata, P. , Makumba, W. , Mbewe, E. , Manase, H. , Oduor, G. , Macharia, M. and Kayuki, K. (2017) Optimizing Nutrient Use Efficiency and Returns from Soybean Production under Smallholders in Three Agro-Ecologies of Malawi. Agricultural Sciences, 8, 801-815. doi: 10.4236/as.2017.88059.

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