Fine-tuning specialty fertilization strategies to local wheat production through on-farm experimentation in nigeria

Abstract

Wheat specialty fertilizer validation trial was conducted in 8 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kano State, Nigeria on  farmers field. The specialty fertilizer validation project is implemented to improve the productivity and profitability of  small-scale wheat smallholder farmers. Four treatments - absolute control (AC), local control (LC), OCP1 and OCP2 were  replicated four times in a RCBD on a plot of 25m² . The AC was based on the indigenous nutrient supply from the soil  (no application of fertilizer); the LC was the generic recommendation of (120:40:40 kg/ha using NPK 15:15:15); OCP 1  was a specialized formulation for wheat with N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S; and OCP 2 was another specialized formulation with  micronutrients (B, Zn and Mo) formulated from soil mapping projects from 300 farmer’s fields. In each LGA, apart from the farmers visual observation of yield during the brown field day, a 1m by 1m quadrant was used to harvest and  estimate yield, while a portion of the grain and stover were collected for nutrient uptake analysis. The highest grain yield  (3787 kg/ha) was observed with the OCP2 fertilizer formulation treatment; a similar trend was observed when the  data was pooled across LGAs. The result of total above ground biomass (kg/ha) showed that OCP1 and OCP2 gave the  highest biomass of 10,026 and 10,092 respectively, while the least biomass was observed with the absolute control plot.  Application of N, P, K with other macro and micro nutrients has good profit potential in Nigeria since a reduced amount  of the N (100kg) less than the generic recommendation (120kg N) gives higher yield due to the introduction of other  nutrients (Mg, S, Zn, B and Mo). Additional information is needed to determine which deficiencies of Mg, S, Zn, B and Mo  are most important. Wheat grain yield responses to applied nutrients tended to be greater in soils with medium to  high clay content. Apart from soil nutrient deficiency, the synergistic effect of some macro and micro nutrients with N, P  and K will greatly influence yield of wheat.