%0 Journal Article
%T Evaluation of Soil Mineral Nitrogen under Different Organic and Inorganic Fertilization in Central Kenya
%A Josephat Murunga Mungoche
%A Moses Moywaywa Nyangito
%A Oscar Kipchirchir Koech
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 10
%N 12
%P 1-14
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2023
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1110933
%X As part of an agricultural intensification strategy to increase livestock feed productivity, an agronomic trial was set up in Central, Kenya. The agronomic trial followed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicate plots measuring 4 meters by 2 meters per treatment. The treatments comprised of NPK fertilizer, Farmyard Manure (FYM), Farm Yard Manure Biochar (FYM-BC), Bioslurry (all at 45 kg N·ha-1), Lablab intercropping (Biological Nitrogen Fixation), and Control treatment (no fertilizer). GenStat Statistical analysis of variance among the treatment means significantly influenced ammonium (NH4 ) and nitrate (NO3-) availability in the soil (p < 0.001). The highest NH4 concentration was recorded under NPK (21.20 ¡À 27.01 ¦Ìg·g-1 dry matter (D.M.), while the lowest NH4 concentration was recorded under Lablab treatment (6.62 ¡À 8.02 ¦Ìg·g-1 D.M.). Like NH4 , significantly higher (61.41 ¡À 38.83 ¦Ìg·g-1 D.M.) NO3- concentration was observed under NPK plots, while the lowest concentration (37.09 ¡À 25.15 ¦Ìg·g-1 D.M.) was recorded under Lablab. These findings indicate that NPK releases plant-available mineral N faster than organic fertilizers, which could lead to faster plant growth and higher N leaching losses compared to the slow-release organic fertilizers.
%K Nitrogen Fertilizers
%K Mineral N
%K Organic Fertilizers
%K Inorganic Fertilizers
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/6809113