Abstract
Soil moisture stress is a limiting factor in crop production particularly in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) as it affects many physiological and biochemical processes of plants. Research on moisture conservation measures is thus imperative. The current study used CropSyst model to simulate soil moisture under different tillage practices (oxen plough, tied ridges and furrows and ridges), cropping systems (monocropping, intercropping and crop-rotation) and organic fertilizers; farm yard manure, rock phosphate (RP) and Farmyard manure (FYM) combined with rock phosphate (RP+FYM). The study was conducted in Matuu Division, Kenya for two seasons; October 2012 to February 2013 short rain season (SRS) and March to August 2013 long rain season (LRS). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block design with a split-split plot arrangement and replicated three times. The main plots were tillage practices whereas the split plots were cropping systems and split-split plots were organic fertilizers and a control (nothing applied). The test crops were sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.) and sweet potato ( Ipomea batatas L. lam ) rotated and/or intercropped with dolichos ( Lablab purpureus ) and chickpea ( Cicer arietinum ). The CropSyst model was calibrated using measured soil texture, permanent wilting point, bulk density and initial soil moisture at the experimental site. Model validation was done using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), percentage differences (PD) and willmott index (WI) of agreement. CropSyst model was reasonably validated as indicated by the low RMSE (0.5 to 1.3), PD (less than ±15) and WI index (close to 1). In the first season and second season, simulated soil moisture (101.91 and 108.3 mm) was significantly (P < 0.05) high in sorghum/dolichos intercrop with RP+FYM application under tied ridges and least (13.52 and 15.4 mm) in control treatment of sorghum mono crop under oxen plough. In sweet potato plots, both individual treatment and treatment interaction significantly influenced simulated soil moisture. Sweet potato-dolichos rotation (75.32 and 79.63 mm), with application of RP+FYM (75.03 and 79.39 mm) under tield ridges (95 and 100.24 mm) had highest simulated soil moisture levels under oxen plough (32.49 and 34.36 mm), sweet potato monocrop (53.46 and 55.26 mm) and control (52.52 and 55.39 mm) having the least during the first and second season, respectively. In both sorghum and sweet potato based cropping systems, soil moisture was correspondingly highest in tied ridges, intercropping and rotation systems involving dolichos and application of FYM+RP and least in control of monocropping under oxen plough. Information on effects of tillage practices, cropping systems and organic inputs could be very useful for soil water conservation purposes. Thus, using simulation models to attain the same could be the ultimate solution. A good agreement between observed and simulated soil moisture implied that CropSyst model is capable of investigating sustainable alternatives of increasing soil moisture in the ASALs.
Highlights
In the arid and semi lands, plant production is limited by soil moisture availability and actual evapotranspiration (Biamah, 2005)
In all cropping systems with combined application of Farmyard manure (FYM) and rock phosphate (RP) under furrows and ridges, the percentage differences (PD) ranged from −3.128 to +6.203 with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and willmott index (WI) of 0.512 and 0.974, respectively
In sorghum and sweet potato based cropping systems, simulated soil moisture was highest in tied ridges, intercropping and rotation systems when FYM+RP was applied and least in oxen plough, monocropping when no organic fertilizer was applied
Summary
In the arid and semi lands, plant production is limited by soil moisture availability and actual evapotranspiration (Biamah, 2005). The two parameters will influence the occurrence of water stress in rainfed agricultural systems. Fluctuations in soil moisture often have negative effects on crop productivity (Purcell et al, 2007). Moisture loss from the soil through evaporation and presence of erratic rainfall in the middle of the cropping season leads to crop failure. Rain water harvesting techniques could be used to improve soil moisture availability or reduce deficit www.ccsenet.org/jas. Information on effects of tillage practices, cropping systems and organic fertilizers that ensure effective capture and utilization of rainfall for sustainable crop production could be very useful for water conservation purposes
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