Plan Now For El Niño Planting

As speculation over an impending El Niño continues to build, growers are advised to plan ahead to ensure that they are not caught out at planting and are in a position to make the most of what could be a high-potential season. Several farmers familiar with the 1997/98 El Niño have told me “Be careful […]

Leaf Testing To Make an Impact

Every time I attend a talk, watch a video, or read an article on crop nutrition, the moment I hear the words “Nutrient X is important for [pollen formation / photosynthesis / insert any other process in the plant]”, I switch off. Whilst it is entirely true that different nutrients perform very different functions within […]

Farms Find Benefits With Off-Season Break Crops

Cash flow, an opportunity to make a bit of profit, improve the soil, and to try out new crops in a lower-risk situation. It may seem a long way off, but these are the reasons why some of the very progressive farmers I work with use off-season crops after maize or wheat. For most farmers […]

Maize Plant Populations

For five years we have tested maize plant populations, and every year we find that the existing advice to plant at 45-50,000 plants/ha does not produce the highest yields or the highest margin – or the best weed control. It is very clear that maize plant populations across the country need a fundamental re-think, and […]

Enhance Winter Wheat Performance with Leaf Sampling

I hope this article finds you well. As we wind up on the planting of the irrigated wheat crops, I wanted to highlight the significance of leaf sampling for maximizing our crop performance and share valuable insights on this essential practice. Leaf sampling is a valuable tool for irrigated wheat production, enabling growers to assess […]

Forage Crop Options

Maize silage Easy to establish and reliable, maize produces a very palatable and high-energy silage provided that it is well chopped and ensiled properly. Typically over 11 Mj of metabolisable energy per kilo, it is a great way of storing crop to feed for livestock later. The main drawbacks are that it needs to be […]

Planning for Successful Potatoes

As we approach the potato planting season, good planning is essential to achieve the best from the crop and maximise your profits. We take a look at the steps to consider: Number 1 is certified seed; you do not need the crop to be held back by diseases such as Blackleg, Black Dot, and Rhizoctonia […]

Legumes: Choosing Your Correct Defender in the Rotation

Legumes for a crucial part of the crop rotation on many levels, adding valuable soil nitrogen, reducing root diseases such as Take-all and Fusarium in cereals, improving soil structure and allowing control of grass weeds such as Brome and Ryegrass. Something that I have seen first-hand over the last few years in Kenya is the […]

Wheat Varieties for 2023

Choosing the right wheat variety is one of the most important steps to growing a profitable and reliable wheat crop. Disease resistance, yield, grain quality, sprouting risk, and many other factors should be taken into consideration so that the chances of achieving a high yield and Grade 1 quality with minimal risk and expenditure on […]

Soil Preparation For 2023

A good crop begins with putting the seed in the ground well, into a good growing environment. This means a well-structured soil with plenty of oxygen so that the roots can explore and grow rapidly in length and access as much soil volume as possible. In turn, this allows the growing crop to access more […]

Are Fertilizer Use Returns Optimal In Kenyan Farms?

Background information While many approaches, such as nutrient omission trials, have been shown to be beneficial in adjusting fertilizer recommendations such as nitrogen (N) fertilizer-based rates, severe nitrogen deficiencies persist across Kenyan farms. These can be attributed under application of N, or N loss. A large amount of the applied N is lost due to […]

Daktari Wa Udongo Profile: Robert Kariuki

My name is Robert Kariuki, I work with farmers to help increase the quantity and quality of their farm produce through sustainable and affordable soil management practices. We do this by training and advising on good soil management as well as sourcing and availing credible soil inputs and soil amendments. I am also a composting […]

Integrated Soil Acid Management (ISAM) Approaches For Increased Soil Nitrogen Availability and Productivity

In many places of the world, soil acidity is a substantial constraint to soil productivity. Sodium, aluminum, manganese, and hydrogen ion toxicity, as well as deficits in critical elements such as nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and molybdenum, all contribute to plant growth suppression. Agricultural management practices have increased shifts in soil pH, raising concerns about […]

The ABC of Cover Crops – Part 2

In my last article, we dealt with the many benefits of cover crops and how they can really help improve soil health, soil structure, nutrient availability (especially phosphorous), and water infiltration and moisture holding capacity. These are some of the most important yield destroyers in African soils. Cover cropping, if done properly can really make […]

International Day of Awareness of Food Loss & Waste, Sep 29th

Today, September 29, is the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. On this day, we take the opportunity to raise awareness of practices and innovations that help reduce food loss and waste and build more resilient food systems. Food loss and waste undermine the sustainability of our food systems. When food is lost […]

MRL Changes in EU Legislation On Pesticide Residues – August 2022 Update

In recent months, a number of amendments to the EU 396/2005 Regulation have been published. Some of these changes are already active since April 14 and 28 and May 3, 2022. Regulation EU 2021/476 is an amendment of Annexes II, III and IV to Regulation EU 396/2005; and indicates a change in Maximum Residue Levels […]

The ABC of Cover Crops – Part 1

Cover crops are planted to cover the soil rather than for the sole purpose of being harvested. Commercial cropping and removal of crop residue leaves the soil surface bare until the next crop is planted. Bare soils are very fragile and prone to erosion, capping, heating, and degeneration. Bare soils cause floods and dust storms. […]

The Bountiful Benefits Of Biochar

Biochar is the new buzzword in farming.  What is it?  Biochar is basically ‘charred’ agricultural waste created through slow-burning of organic matter in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis).  This creates a porous, high carbon, stable material that can be added to the soil to improve soil properties.  The claims for the benefits of biochar are […]

Building The Resilience Of The Soil

Soil is important not just for growing plants and supporting our farmers, but it plays a major function in the health of the planet. Soil provides us with what are known as ecosystem services, essential for global health. The resilience of the soil is its capacity to recover and bounce back after a change of regime […]

Cover Crop success will take patience

Cover crops will have an important role for us in Kenya, especially in terms of weed control and input cost reduction, but farmers need patience and an independent mindset to understand how to make them successful.  I’m not sure entirely what cover cropping will look like for us yet, but improved Mallow control, lower fertiliser […]

Faba beans and other new crops on the Horizon

Faba Beans look very exciting on the right soil types. Thinking back to the UK, I was always struck at how Peas and Fabas thrived on alternate soil types, and that may be the case here in Kenya too; where peas are inconsistent, we perhaps need to give fabas a serious go.  Peas Faba Beans […]

Gypsum vs Lime? Thoughts On Agricultural Gypsum

I recently purchased a bag of what I thought was lime recently to use on trials, only to discover that it was actually gypsum. I included it in the trial anyway out of curiosity, and it got me thinking, why don’t we think about gypsum more often? Essentially calcium sulphate, gypsum contains two very important […]

Clean Potato Seed Varieties

Anyone considering growing potatoes over the coming months should know the benefits and importance of buying clean, certified potato seed variety. This is the best way to ensure the seed is free from Cyst Nematode, Blackleg, and Viruses such as Leaf Roll, all of which can all lead to significant yield or even crop loss. […]

Beans – Can You Mechanize Them For Large Scale?

Edible beans such as Rosecoco, Kidney and Yellow Beans can be highly lucrative, but can farmers successfully scale this up to more than just a few acres?

22.5 Bags Of Maize From 0.42 Acres – Hope For Farmers Across The Country

The trials team certainly had high expectations for their Nakuru Maize Variety Trial, but this extraordinary average yield certainly opened their eyes. The Nakuru site is just one of the 8 sites across the country that we’ve test varieties in different climates over the past 12 months. Had we grown the top-yielding variety in this […]

Get The Best From Sunflowers & Herbicides

Sunflowers are a fantastic crop for Kenya and can provide extra income for farmers in the off-season as well as many rotational benefits to the soil. But to get top yields it is crucial to check on your herbicides and keep the crop free from weed competition for the first 6-7 weeks. Good planting ensures […]

MRL Changes in EU-Legislation On Pesticide Residues

We hope that you will read this newsletter with great interest. The aim of this newsletter is to keep you updated on the new MRLs for certain pesticides that have recently been published by the EU.  Of emphasis, are the updates on EU- MRLs for Chlorate and Perchlorate in particular. If you have any questions, […]

Fall Armyworm Update – 22nd July 2020

For the past three seasons growers have been reporting Fall Armyworm in the tips of cobs from silking right through to maturity, with damage at harvest similar to the photo below. Fall Armyworm numbers have clearly been on the decline since they first arrived in 2017, with some exceptions, and this year they appear to […]

Boost Your Bushels To Win With Wheat

Bushel weight can make the difference between a profitable crop and one that you can’t even sell. Carrying on from our previous newsletter on how to improve your bushel weight, we take a look at how to get the fungicide program right to maximise your chances of getting a top price for your wheat. Fungicide […]

Best Ways to Control Weeds In Potato Farming

When it comes to Potato Farming, Getting weed control right in potatoes is crucial. Furthermore, weeds generally make mechanical harvesting difficult and compete with the crop for nutrients just as the tubers really start bulking. Here, we take a look at some of the weed control herbicides options to receive great yields from Potato Farming: […]

Choosing Wheat Varieties For That Big Crop

With malting barley plantings down considerably this year, many farmers will be growing extra acres of wheat to make up for the area lost. But what varieties should you grow to manage the risks of a big wheat area? Robin Still yields very well in our trials, and most importantly of all is consistent across […]

Protecting Bees From Pesticides

Yields in high value cash & export crops such as coffee, potatoes, avocados, pawpaws, watermelons, oranges, cucumber, passion fruit, etc, hugely depend on the pollination activities carried out by bees, butterflies, birds & other pollinators. Pollinators are essential to the production of many of the micronutrient rich fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and oils we eat. […]

Is Fall Armyworm Falling Away?

Think Agronomy 15th May 2020 If you set out to collect several hundred Fall Armyworm larvae for an experiment, I can tell you that it is a long task, which seems to take longer each year. Sure, if you look for them they are easy enough to find in fields that have perhaps not received […]

Soil Preparation For Maize, Wheat & Barley Production

Soil or land preparation for farming is foundational when growing cereals like maize wheat and barley. In this article we’ll explore the key critical soil requirements for cereal production namely: soil sampling, soil preparation and planting & Deep Nitrogen Testing Soil Sampling Why soil sampling improves profitability How to sample properly Grid vs zone sampling […]

Role Of Technology In Agriculture

What are you going to do there? You hardly have any knowledge of Agriculture. How do you fit there? My family and friends asked me when I announced that I was joining Cropnuts.  When I was younger, I knew I would join a technological company. And this meant a company whose core business was selling […]

Floods, Droughts & The Soil

Turning soils into sponges: Opportunities to reduce flood and drought risks You may think that the common factor between drought and flood in many places in Kenya is water, especially lately.  Other than the lack or abundance of rain, the major reason for droughts and floods is the soil’s health status and its inability to […]

Weed Control in Maize Farming

As crops progress through the growth stages, weed control in maize up to 7-8 leaf stage is crucial to avoid yield loss. There are a number of maize herbicide options on the market, so we explore their strengths and their weak points… Stellar Star Stellar Star is very strong on Gallant Soldier, Datura and Mexican […]

Determining The Cost Of Production Of Cereals (Maize, Wheat & Barley)

Knowing your farm cost of production is absolutely crucial for any farming business, and it is an integral part of the advice we give the farmers that we work with at Cropnuts. So every year we take a look through the actual farm input costs of growing different cereal crops (maize wheat & barley) and […]

Maize Plant Populations

Maize plant population and seed rate comparison data from our maize variety trial sites has been very enlightening. Last week we looked at the results of our Cropnuts Maize Variety Trials in 2019 and highlighted how some maize varieties perform very differently at higher plant populations. Within the Variety Trials last year at every site, […]

Role Of Nutrients In Plant Disease & Pest Management

Plant disease & pest management using chemical pesticides raises serious concerns about food safety, environmental quality and pesticide resistance. These concerns have dictated the need for alternative plant disease & pest Management techniques. In particular, plant nutrients could affect the disease tolerance or resistance of plants to pests and diseases. This is evident in the […]

Solutions To Challenges Facing Agriculture In Kenya

In Kenya, the current population is estimated at 47 million and expected to nearly double to 95 million by 2050. Agriculture in Kenya is a fundamental instrument for sustainable development, poverty eradication, and food security.

Image c/o: pixabay

Highland Maize Variety Choices For 2020

Choosing the right variety is important for any crop, but with a crop like maize where there is just so much choice, where do you start? Last season we carried out four fully replicated maize variety trials in the highland areas; in Timau, Rumuruti, Nakuru and Eldoret to independently compare a range of maize varieties […]

Plant Nutrition Basics In Floriculture

Plant nutrition is the study of the chemical elements and compounds necessary for plant growth, plant metabolism and their external supply. Without proper plant nutrition, plants tend to die off or produce little or no yield. In my line of work I visit hundreds of flower farms a year; the flourishing, the ticking over, and the ones in […]

Greenhouse Soil Tips For Beginners

Greenhouse soil crops need more specialized care. When you grow plants out in the open field, your soil has time to rest and regenerate. Not so in the greenhouse, where the climate is much hotter and the soil and plants are working hard all year round. Greenhouse soil temperatures are higher and you need to […]

Avoiding Lodging In Cereals

Lodging in cereals is the bending over of the stems near ground level of grain crops. Lodging makes cereal crops very difficult to harvest and can dramatically reduce yield. Causes Of Lodging In Cereals Lodging in cereals is often caused by inadequate standing power of the crop and other external conditions such a storm damage, soil density, disease, sowing […]

Latest Insights From Our Crop Field Trials

Importance of Molybdenum & Cobalt On Legumes Looking back through some of our legume crop field trials which have focused mainly on peas, the use of molybdenum and cobalt on the seed has consistently shown improvements in nodulation and yield. We know how important molybdenum is on legumes and brassicas in most Kenyan soils so […]

Coffee Nutrient Requirements

Two big yield limitations in coffee are: low soil pH Micronutrient deficiencies Years of applying acidic fertilizers in conjunction with leaching have caused many soils in coffee growing areas in Kenya to become very acidic.  Low soil pH affects the crop in two ways:- Reduced Fertilizer Efficiency At low pH, fertilizers like Phosphorous (P) get bound […]

Why Water Testing Is Crucial For The Environment

Water is the essence of life. Regular water analysis testing, monitoring  & compliance to water quality standards contributes to better well being, healthier communities and a thriving green planet. Flourishing agricultural, wildlife & forest ecosystems depend on availability of quality water. Water is not what it seems. Though it pours freely from the skies and […]

High Sodium Soil Effect On Plant Growth

In Africa, and especially in Kenya, high sodium soil is one of the major causes of yield losses, quality reduction and crop failure in irrigated agriculture.  So today, in our first newsletter, we are going to talk about sodium in the soil. The Effect Of Soil Sodium Soils with a high percentage of sodium in […]