Phosphorus and potassium fertilization increase common bean grain yield in Mozambique

Maria Da C S Carvalho,Adriano S Nascente,José E Denardin,Gilvan B Ferreira,Celso A P Mutadiua

doi:10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v22n5p308-314

Maria Da C S Carvalho, Adriano S Nascente + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v22n5p308-314

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Abstract

ABSTRACT There is little information about common bean fertilization in African Savannas. The objectives of this study were as follows: i) to evaluate the common bean yield potential in the environmental conditions of Lichinga, Niassa, Mozambique, and ii) to determine the common bean response to phosphorus and potassium fertilization applied together in order to verify whether the interpretation of soil analysis for the Brazilian Cerrado could be adopted for Savanna soils in Mozambique. The experimental design was a randomized block design in a 5 x 4 x 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments consisted of a combination of phosphorus doses (0, 35, 70, 140 and 280 kg ha-1 of P2O5), potassium doses (0, 50 100 and 200 kg ha-1 of K2O), and different growing seasons (2012/2013 and 2013/2014). The field rainfed experiments were conducted in Lichinga city, province of Niassa. Common bean crops presented high productivity potential in rainfed systems in the environmental conditions of Lichinga, Niassa, Mozambique, reaching grain yields of up to 3,600 kg ha-1 depending on the rates of fertilization with phosphorus and potassium. Common beans responded to phosphorus and potassium fertilization despite high contents of these nutrients in the soil, according to the interpretation of soil analysis for the Brazilian Cerrado. Maximum grain yield in the average of two growing seasons was estimated to occur for 239 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 141 kg ha-1 of K2O, indicating that further calibration studies for P and K are required for this specific region of Mozambique.

Highlights

Over 200 million people in sub-Saharan Africa depend on the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as a primary staple (Petry et al, 2015)
The objectives of this study were as follows: i) to evaluate the common bean yield potential in the environmental conditions of Lichinga, Niassa, Mozambique, and ii) to determine the common bean response to phosphorus and potassium fertilization in order to verify whether the interpretation of soil analysis for the Brazilian Cerrado could be adopted for the Savanna soils of Mozambique
The results indicate that there were differences in the number of pods per plant and in grain yield of the common bean for both growing seasons (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Over 200 million people in sub-Saharan Africa depend on the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as a primary staple (Petry et al, 2015). Despite the crop’s importance, in Africa Savannas, the common bean grain yield achieved by farmers is very low (CGIAR, 2015). In Brazil, for example, there are farmers reaching yields of 3,500 kg ha-1 in common beans (Nascente et al, 2012, 2014; CONAB, 2017). The target area was the Nacala corridor, an area of 11 million ha that ranges from the border of Mozambique with Malawi to the port of Nacala on the west coast of the country. This area has the same latitude as the Cerrado Region in Brazil, with similar conditions of climate and soil. Currently there are no regional calibration studies that can be used to recommend P and K fertilization for crops, such as the common bean, based on soil analysis

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