Equation Chapter 1 Section 1 Corn Suitability Rating for Southern Highland Zone of Tanzania - A Feasibility Assessment at the TARI-Uyole, Mbeya, Tanzania

Johnson Godlove Mtama,Balthazar Michael Msanya,Charles Lee Burras

doi:10.11648/j.ajaf.20200803.12

Abstract

Corn productivity indices (CSR2T) for representative soils in the Southern Highland Zone of Tanzania were developed. The approaches used were derived from Iowa State University’s CSR2. Consistent with ISU, index points were applied to the pedon based on the USDA Soil Taxonomy subgroup, family particle size class, and available water holding capacity, solum depth and resilience to degradation characterizations. Additional index points were applied based on field conditions especially slope, erosion history and flooding or ponding risk in order to determine the inherent productivity potential of the soils in the work sites. The results were used to develop the Corn Suitability Rating in Tanzania (CSR2T) for the soil settings of Southern Highlands. Sites’ characterization results were linked with the maize field experimental results from 2003 to 2016 to determine the inherent corn productivity indices for the sites. The soils were found to have CSR2T values of 72, 56, 62 and 48 for Uyole, Mbimba, Inyala and Seatondale farms, respectively. The soils of Seatondale were observed to be more limited by water holding capacity. However, generally the study soils are observed to have good pedogenic potential for corn productivity and very minimal pedogenic limitations for corn productivity. The most serious limitation seems to be low water holding capacity.

Highlights

Corn suitability is a technology aimed at quantifying soil’s potential for corn yield production
The results indicate the practical success in the corn suitability rating for the representative soil of SHZT
In addition to that [12] found that the corn suitability rating is affected by inherent soil properties such as soil water holding capacity, soil taxonomic subgroup, field conditions and family particle size [18]

Summary

Introduction

Corn suitability is a technology aimed at quantifying soil’s potential for corn yield production. It used the multiplicative approach to elaborate soil productivity to crop production as a product of soil depth and texture, permeability, soil chemistry, drainage and runoff, and climate [4] As a result, it was highly subjective with different soil scientists determining different values, difficult to apply across the entire state and would not integrate with modern data and web-based soil maps. It was highly subjective with different soil scientists determining different values, difficult to apply across the entire state and would not integrate with modern data and web-based soil maps As a result, they developed this revised storie index, which is explained in their paper. Based on the soil survey information available up to 1960s, corn productivity rating was developed. Where the land was rated for its crop yield production potential [9,10,11]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion