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Sokoine University of Agriculture  Institutional Repository (SUA IR). This repository was built and is maintained by the university library  (Sokoine National Agricultural Library-SNAL) , in order to collect, preserve and disseminate scholarly output generated by University research community (staff and students) members.

This repository hosts a variety of openly accessible materials including: scholarly articles and books, theses and dissertations, conference proceedings and technical reports. For assistance about depositing your research output in the repository click here. SUA IR Policy  click here or any queries contact us at snal@sua.ac.tz.

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Land suitability assessment of the Wami plains in Morogoro, Tanzania with respect to the production of the main food crops and extensive grazing.
(Sokoine university of Agriculture, 2000) Kileo,Emmanuel P.
ABSTRACT A study was conducted at Wami Plains in Morogoro to assess the suitability of land for the production of the main food crops and for extensive grazing. Field land resources survey was conducted covering an area of 35,810 hectares. Soil profiles were excavated, studied and sampled for laboratory analysis. Soils of Wami Plains are mostly well drained,sandy clay loams, except on the valley bottoms, floodplains and mbuga where they are poorly drained. They have low to medium available water capacity (83 - 135 mm/m) except profile NYN-P7 which has high available water capacity (164 mm/m). The soils are generally poor in chemical fertility. The levels of nitrogen range from very low (0.04%) to low (0.17%) while those of organic carbon are between low (0.66%) to medium (1.46%). Available phosphorus contents range between low to medium (0.96-16 0 mg/kg) The level of micronutrients in these soils is adequate except for Zn which is rated as inadequate for most crops. The soils were classified according to both FAO-World Reference Base and USDA Soil Taxonomy systems. The FAO-WRB soil names with their mapping units in brackets are as follows: Chromi-Rhodic Cambisols and Hapli-Hypocalcic Calcisols (Alluvial fan); Rhodi-Profondic Lixisols (Ridge summits); Rhodi-Profondic Lixisols (Ridge slopes with red soils); Hypereutri-Ferralic Cambisols (Ridge slopes with sandy soils); Hypereutri-Mollic Fluvisols and Calcari-Mollic Cambisols (Valley bottoms); Chromi-Profondic Lixisols and Hapli-I-Iypocalcic Calcisols (Flats with red soils); Calcari-Mollic Fluvisols (Flats with sandy soils); Hypocalci-Endosodic Calcisols (Floodplains) and Endosodi-Pellic Vertisols (Mbuga). Three land utilisation types (LUTs) (maize, rice and extensive grazing) were selected for land suitability evaluation and the results of physical suitability evaluation are as follows: About 38% of the area was classified as moderately suitable, 44% marginally suitable and 18% physically not suitable for maize production. As for rice production, about 55% of the area was classified as marginally suitable and 45% is physically not suitable for the LUT. About 84% of the area was classified as moderately suitable for extensive grazing while only 16% is marginally suitable for the LUT. Major limitations in these soils are: nutrient availability and retention, moisture availability, flooding hazards, oxygen availability to roots and biological hazards.
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The Mechanics of a disc plough
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 1985) Kiriama,L.L.
ABSTRACT An angle attachment was designed to enable disc axis orientation with the soil bin facility developed at the College.A force prediction model by Godwin et al at Silsoe College was used to predict the magnitude of forces to be expected.- The effect of change in axis angle on draught,- vertical and side forces was studied and the results compared with the prediction. It was found that there.was a significant effect in changing the disc axis angle, The draught and side forces were found to be less at 15° than at 0^ 0° axis angle, angle. The optimum axis angle at 25° sweep was found to be about 15 o ’where the maximum downward vertical force occured. Since the experimental and predicted results did not compare well, an exploration of the force prediction model was suggested.Whilst for global prediction the model seemed alright,it was difficult to make it work for all combinations. Although the model worked well with an 0° axis angle and 90° sweep angle, the edge effect and inclination for the other combinations needed greater definition.
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Matemu, Liberatus John Hamis
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 1987) Matemu, Liberatus John Hamis
ABSTRACT A field experiment was conducted at the Sokoine University of Agriculture experimental Farm to study plant-water status and grain yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in relation to soil-water status.The treatments consisted of two soils, one having high water holding capacity (soil 1), the other with a low water holding capacity (soil 2); and two sorghum cultivars namely, Serena (improved) and Mbangala (local) under two moisture regimes of limited irrigation and rainfed conditions. Leaf water potential (kj'O and weighted soil-matric potential were measured to assess the water status for the plant and soils, respectively. Other observa-tions made were plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area index (LAI), root length density, dry­ matter (DM) and grain yields as well as total water use efficiency (TWUE) and irrigation water use (IWUE).Plants growing in soil 1 showed higher than those in soil 2 throughout the measurement period.Mbangala maintained a higher than Serena with values of -5.42 and -7.51 bars respectively.plants had higher The irrigated than those under rainfed conditions.The weighted matric potential,soil 2 than in soil 1. The averages for the entire was lower in season were -0.29 and -0.38 bars for soils 1 and 2,respectively.The plots planted with Mbangala showed a lower l’pthan those with Serena their values being -0.34 and -0.33 bar^ , respectively.The weighted soil matric potential was lower under irrigated thanu.nc[er rainfed conditions.The differences under rainfed and irrigated conditions were larger in soil 1 than in soil 2.Soils did not show any significant difference in stem diameter at 56 days after planting (dap) despite the con­sistent trend observed whereby soil 1 produced plants with greater diameter than soil 2.significantly (P Serena. Mbangala showed 0.05) greater stem diameter than While stem diameter of Serena averaged 1.88cm, that of Mbangala was 2.10cm. Moisture regime had no effect on stem diameter. Soil 1 produced significantly (P ^_0.05) taller plants than soil 2.Plant height in soil 1 exceeded that in soil 2 by 24.5cm.Cultivar and moisture regimes as well as their interactions were non-significant..However, the interaction between soil X cultivar was highly significant (P ,0.01) .Both cultivars were taller (although not significantly so) in soil 1 than in soil 2. On the other hand, both cultivars showed consistently greater plant height under irrigated than rainfed conditions although the differences were non­ significant.Plants growing in soil 1 were observed to have a significantly (P.
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Land suitability assessment of the Wami plains in Morogoro,Tanzania with respect to the production of the main food crops and extensive grazing.
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2000) Kileo,Emmanuel P.
ABSTRACT A study was conducted at Wami Plains in Morogoro to assess the suitability of land for the production of the main food crops and for extensive grazing. Field land resources survey was conducted covering an area of 35,810 hectares. Soil profiles were excavated, studied and sampled for laboratory analysis. Soils of Wami Plains are mostly well drained, sandy clay loams, except on the valley bottoms, floodplains and mbuga where they are poorly drained. They have low to medium available water capacity (83 - 135 mm/m) except profile NYN-P7 which has high available water capacity (164 mm/m). The soils are generally poor in chemical fertility. The levels of nitrogen range from very low (0.04%) to low (0.17%) while those of organic carbon are between low (0.66%) to medium (1.46%). Available phosphorus contents range between low to medium (0.96- 16 0 mg/kg) The level of micronutrients in these soils is adequate except for Zn which is rated as inadequate for most crops. The soils were classified according to both FAO- World Reference Base and USDA Soil Taxonomy systems. The FAO-WRB soil names with their mapping units in brackets are as follows: Chromi-Rhodic Cambisols and Hapli- Hypocalcic Calcisols (Alluvial fan); Rhodi-Profondic Lixisols (Ridge summits); Rhodi- Profondic Lixisols (Ridge slopes with red soils); Hypereutri-Ferralic Cambisols (Ridge slopes with sandy soils); Hypereutri-Mollic Fluvisols and Calcari-Mollic Cambisols (Valley bottoms); Chromi-Profondic Lixisols and Hapli-I-Iypocalcic Calcisols (Flats with red soils); Calcari-Mollic Fluvisols (Flats with sandy soils); Hypocalci-Endosodic Calcisols (Floodplains) and Endosodi-Pellic Vertisols (Mbuga) Three land utilisation types (LUTs) (maize, rice and extensive grazing) were selected for land suitability evaluation and the results of physical suitability evaluation are as follows: About 38% of the area was classified as moderately suitable, 44% marginally suitable and 18% physically not suitable for maize production. As for rice production, about 55% of the area was classified as marginally suitable and 45% is physically not suitable for the LUT. About 84% of the area was classified as moderately suitable for extensive grazing while only 16% is marginally suitable for the LUT. Major limitations in these soils are: nutrient availability and retention, moisture availability, flooding hazards, oxygen availability to roots and biological hazards.
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Mechanization effects on crop production systems in Igunga district Tabora,Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2010) Kaijage,Modest R.
The study was carried in Igunga district. Tabora region from November 2008 to April 2009. It is estimated that 70% of land is ploughed by using DAP. Animal power is an advanced technology as compared to hand technology but it is not a reliable power source due to a lot of drawbacks. There is an argument that tractorization is uneconomical for developing countries especially for smallholders. However, statistically analysed evidence to justify this argument in the study area was lacking. Information on economic viability of tractorization in Igunga was also lacking. 108 farming households were randomly selected from 1 Ivillages. The 2007/08 crop production data was used to provide a comparative economic analysis between DAP and tractor power using households. Specific attention was to investigate the impact and implication of tractorization on total crop output, crop income and resource utilization. T- test was used to compare the effects of mechanization on resource utilization between the two groups. It was also used to compare crop output between DAP and tractor power users. Effect of tractorization on total crop income was investigated by using regression analysis. Cobb-Douglas production function was adopted. Tractor use was taken as a dummy variable. Maize yield was higher with DAP while cotton yields were higher with tractor power use. However, labour productivity was higher with tractor use than AT. Tractor using households earn more crop income than their counterpart due to bigger cultivated area. Tractorization had a positive impact on crop income although not highly statistically significant. It is recommended to create awareness to farmers on the availability of animal drawn implements that can be used in planting and weeding. In order to exhaust the potential of cultivated land, agronomic practices should be adhered to.