Browsing by Author "Kilasara, M."

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Effect of conservational tillage on soil loss and plant nutrient status on vegetable yield, Northern slopes of Uluguru Mountains, Morogoro, Tanzania
(2010) Msita, H. B.; Mtakwa, P. W.; Kilasara, M.; Kimaro, D. N.; Msanya, B. M.; Ndyetabula, D. K.; Deckers, J. A.; Poesen, J.
The study was conducted to evaluate effects of conservational tillage on vegetable production on the northeastern part of Uluguru Mountains in Tanzania. Six treatments such as control conservational tillage; conservational tillage with manure; conservational tillage with insitu composting; control traditional tillage; traditional terrace with manure and traditional tillage with in situ composting were examined. Nutrient levels were determined from soil before and after harvest and from plant samples after harvest. Soil losses were assessed by collecting runoff using polyethylene troughs for each treatment. Analysis of variance and Multiple range test (P=0.05) was done to test the effect of the treatments. The differences (P=0.05) on soil loss, plant nutrient status and vegetable yield were observed. All conservational treatments gave high fresh yield (4.3–44.7 ton/ha), high nutrient retention (N% 0.11–0.14, P% 5.17– 16.33, K% 0.33-0.36) and experienced low soil losses (0.49, 0.54 to 0.65 ton/ha/season). While the opposite was true for traditional treatments lower fresh yield (0.9–13.9 ton/ha), low nutrient retention (N% 0.10–0.11, P% 0.91–4.00 and K% 0.29–0.32) and high soil losses (0.54, 0.83 to 1.26 ton/ha/season) at P=0.05. It was concluded from this study that the conservational tillage for vegetable production on sloping land ranging from 20 to 80 percent was the best practice resulting in increased crop yield, nutrient uptake, plant nutrient retention, and reduced soil loss.
Effect of in situ soil water harvesting techniques and local plant nutrient sources on grain yield of drought-resistant sorghum varieties in Semi-Arid Zone, Tanzania
(Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2015) Kilasara, M.; Boa, M. E.; Swai, E. Y.; Sibuga, K. P.; Massawe, B. H. J.; Kisetu, E.
Aridity is becoming a key threat to more than 500 million people who depend on agriculture for their livelihood in semi-arid areas worldwide. Climate change represents a significant threat to current agricultural production, and consequently to farmers’ livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. The compounded effects of climate change, population pressure and change in dietary demands will further threaten fragile natural resources and accelerate land degradation processes. Poverty and hunger are still characteristics of sub-Saharan African countries in specific areas frequently hit by drought including the central zone of Tanzania. Typical characteris- tics of these areas are periodic to frequent dry spells that lead to crop failure, food shortage and lasting poverty. In Tanzania, the central regions of Dodoma and Singida are frequently threatened by drought that causes crop failure. In Dodoma, Singida and Tabora, 45–55 % of the households are food insecure. The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of combining selected soil water harvesting techniques and locally available plant nutrient sources (FYM and urea-treated local phosphate rock, Minjingu Mazao) on the grain yield of early maturing and drought-resistant sorghum varieties (Wahi and Hakika). The trials were conducted at Mbande village, Kongwa District and Ikhanoda village, Singida Rural District in Tanzania. A split-split plot design setup was used in this study. The main plots were tillage methods, which were infiltration pit (PI), tied-ridging (TR) and flat cultivation (FC). The sub-plots were the fertilizers, which were farmyard manure and Minjingu Mazao, and the sub-sub plots were the two sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) varieties: Wahi and Hakika. Data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance. Treatment differences were separated using least significant differences (LSD) at p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.001. At the Ikhanoda study site, when Minjingu Mazao was applied, the Wahi grain yield was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in PI (2,414 kg ha 1 ) and FC (1,126 kg ha 1 ) than in TR treatment (648 kg ha 1 ). In contrast, with Hakika, TR significantly (p < 0.05) outperformed other water harvesting methods with the highest grain yield (3,199 kg ha 1 ). The PI treatment recorded the highest grain yield (2,789 kg ha 1 under Wahi and 3,223 kg ha 1 under Hakika) when FYM was applied at 5 t ha 1 . The grain yield of both varieties under FYM and all water harvesting techniques, including FC, did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). However, Hakika under PI had the best yield (3,223 kg ha 1 ) while Wahi under FC registered the lowest yield (2,573 kg ha 1 ). In the absence of FYM or Minjingu Mazao, the grain yield showed the following trend: FC (1,660 kg ha 1 , 1,863 kg ha 1 ) > PI (1,234 kg ha 1 , 1,387 kg ha 1 ) > TR (875 kg ha 1 , 930 kg ha 1 ) for Wahi and Hakika, respectively. At the Mbande site, the Wahi variety had a significantly higher grain yield (p < 0.05) in the FC treatment (1058.6 kg ha 1 ) than TR (543 kg ha 1 ) and PI (320.3 kg ha 1 ) when FYM was applied. With the application of 5 tons ha 1 FYM, the Wahi variety gave a significantly (p < 0.05) higher grain yield (1320.2 kg ha 1 ) in the TR treatment but the lowest in the FC treatment (476.6 kg ha 1 ). With the Hakika variety, the grain yield was higher (1773.4 kg ha 1 ) in TR and FC than in PI (890.6 kg ha 1 ). The superiority of the FC treatment in the absence of external nutrient input is attributed to topsoil that is slightly richer in nutrients com- pared to the rest of the treatments in which the poorer subsoil is part of the root zone. External nutrient input might have compensated for nutrient deficiencies and thus attenuated the treatment differences. This study demonstrated that in the absence of external sources of plant nutrients such as FYM and Minjingu Mazao, FC performed better than PI and TR. With external nutrient input, the grain yield varied due to water harvesting practice and site. At Ikhanoda, PI was superior to the other treatments while at Mbande, TR outperformed the other treatments. The outcome of the use of rainwater harvesting technologies ought to be applied in well-characterized fields in terms of physical and bio-chemical soil characteristics for better results.
Factors influencing soil distribution and their implication for agricultural land management in Morogoro urban District, Tanzania
(2000-04) Msanya, B. M.; Mbogoni, J. D. J.; Kimaro, D. N.; kimbi, G. G.; Kilasara, M.; Deckers, J.S.
A standard soil and land resources survey was conducted in Morogoro Urban District, Tanzania to investigate the factors influencing characteristics and spatial distribution of soils and their implication for land management. Landforms, parent materials, climate, soil morphological, physicochemical and mineralogical properties were the main attributes studied. Soils were classified according to the FAO-World Reference Basefor Soil Resources. Six major landforms were identified namely; strongly dissected mountain ridges, mountain foothills, hills, piedmonts, peneplains and valleys. The strongly dissected mountain ridges comprise complex soils developed on pyroxene granulites. The soils include shallow, excessively drained sandy clay loams and deep well drained sandy clays and clays. The soils were classified as Lithic-Paralithic Leptosols, Hapli-Profondic Lixisols, Orthidystri-Episkeletic Cambisols and Hypereutri-Episkeletic Cambisols (Haplic). The hills are a complex of rock outcrops and shallow soils developed on muscovite-biotite migmatites. The soils are excessively drained, extremely gravely sandy loams and sandy clay loams. The soils were classified as Lithic Leptosols. The piedmonts and peneplains comprise largely associations of deep and very deep, well drained clays and sandy clays. These soils developed on colluvium derived from granulites and migmatites were classified as Chromi-Profondic Acrisols, Chromi-Profondic Lixisols, Rhodi-Profondic Luvisols and Cutani-Profondic Luvisols (Haplic). In the valleys, the soils are developed on alluvium of diverse mineralogical composition and are a complex of Calcari- and Stagni-Mollic Fluvisols and Calcari-Salic Vertisols. All the studied soils except those of the valleys have low soil fertility as shown by low organic carbon «1.0%), low levels of major nutrients (nitrogen <0.1%, phosphorus <5 mg/kg) and low CEC «12.0 cmol(+)lkg soil). Although the soils of the valleys are fertile, they are characterised by one or more of the following problems: poor drainage condition, high alkalinity and salinity (ESP >5%) and difficult workability. The results of this study show a close relationship between landforms, parent materials and soil types. The paper establishes some land qualities which are important for sustainable agricultural land management in the district.
Major factors influencing the occurrence of landslides in the northern slopes of the Uluguru mountains, Tanzania
(2000) Kilasara, M.; Mtakwa, P. W.; Poesen, J.; Deckers, J. N.
Landslide mitigation largely depends on the understanding of the nature of the factors that have direct bearing on the occurrence oflandslides. Identification of these factors is of paramount importance in setting out appropriate and strategic landslides control measures. The present study focused on the identification of the major factors influencing the occurrence oflandslides in the Northern slopes of the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania. The main objective was to establish relationship between spatial distribution of landslides and their causative factors. Such information would enable the planning of appropriate and strategic control measures. Aerial photographs, field survey and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were employed to identify the landslides features which occurred during EL NINO rains, spatial distribution and their corresponding factors. The results show that landslides dominate the geomorphic units with slope gradient ranging from 25% to over 80%. The most affected geomorphic units are in the order: debris slopes> incisions and V-shaped valleys > amphitheatres. Factors which cause theoccurrence of landslides are both soil and terrain related. The most important soil characteristics are presence of shallow soil solum with low bulk density and high macro porosity overlying a relatively less porous saprolite or hard bed rock. The terrain related factors include: undercutting of slopes by roads and pathways and presence of very steep concave side slopes. Water flow from roads and pathways and seepage from irrigation channels are precursors for the triggering oflandslides in the study area.
Pedological and edaphological properties of the soils of two soil associations in the Morogoro area, Tanzania
(Trop. Agric. (Trinidad), 1982) Moberg, J. P.; Msanya, B. M.; Kilasara, M.
Pedological and edaphological properties of two soil associations forming a continuum from the Uluguru \mountain ranges to the Mindu mountain in the Morogoro area, Tanzania, have been investigated. The general /eatures of the area, including climate, geology and vegetation are discussed as is the movement of soluble salts on the slopes and its effects on soil composition. The investigation shows that there is a close connection between the three soil forming factors, climate, parent material, and relief and the mineral composition of the soils and their edaphological properties. This means that a thorough understanding of the soil forming factors and the soil development processes provides a key to land use evaluation of an area like this, where soil data often are lacking.
Short and medium term assessment of tillage erosion in the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania
(Elsevier, 2004-05-26) Kimaro, D. N.; Deckers, J. A.; Poesen, J.; Kilasara, M.; Msanya, B. M.
Soil translocation due to shallow tillage by manual hoeing appears to be one of the most important erosion processes in the Uluguru Mountains. In order to quantify erosion rates caused by manual hoeing in the area a tillage experiment was set up and an on-farm survey was conducted during the dry season of the years 2000 and 2001, respectively. Soil flux rates on eight slope gradients (31–67%) were monitored by measuring the tillage step characteristics using Trapezoid-step method and by collecting soil material lost in Gerlarch troughs. Soil flux rates due to medium-term (30 years) manual hoeing along contour bands with grass barrier were also monitored by measuring volumes of tillage step below and colluvium accumulation above the surface of the original slope on six slope gradients (51, 52, 55, 56, 58 and 60%). Average tillage depth for superficial tillage was 5.2 cm. The results obtained by the Trapezoid-step method ranged from 43 to 70 kg m À1 per tillage pass with a mean tillage transport coefficient (k) of 107.5 kg m À1 on the tested slopes. Mean soil flux rates obtained by Gerlarch trough method were slightly lower than those obtained by Trapezoid-step method with values ranging from 14 to 77 kg m À1 per tillage pass and a tillage transport coefficient (k) of 83.9 kg m À1 per tillage pass. The rates measured by both methods showed an increasing soil flux with slope gradient. Results on soil flux rates due to the medium-term tillage operation (step measurements) showed a negative trend with increasing slope gradient. Soil flux ranged from 148 to 42 kg m À1 per year for slopes between 51 and 60%. Soil flux due to colluviation behind grass barriers showed a similar trend with values higher than those obtained by step measurements. The soil flux rates behind grass barriers ranged from 153 kg m À1 per year on slope of 51% to 67 kg m À1 per year on a 60% slope in approximately 30 years of cultivation. A reasonable correspondence between calculated displaced soil (area under original slope) and the accumulated colluvium (area above the original slope) was obtained indicating significant contribution of tillage erosion. Contribution due to water erosion processes ranged from 7 kg m À1 per year on slopes of 51% to 25 kg m À1 per year on a slope of 60%. The study demonstrated that tillage translocation rates due to manual superficial tillage are very high and could partly be held responsible for the development of shallow soils observed on steep slopes and the accumulation of colluvium behind grass barriers along contour bands in the Uluguru Mountains.