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 keep the crop free from weed competition for the first 6-7 weeks. Good planting ensures the crop takes over from […]

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 […]

Controlling weeds In Potato Farming

Getting weed control right in potatoes is crucial. weeds make mechanical harvesting difficult and competes with the crop for nutrients just as the tubers really start bulking. Here we take a look at some of the potatoes weed control herbicides options: Pendimethalin (e.g. Stomp or Twigamethlin) This is a great herbicide that controls grasses and […]

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 […]

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 […]

How Organic Matter Creates Sustainable, Carbon-Friendly Agriculture

Soil organic matter (SOM) is the organic matter component of soil, consisting of plant and animal remains at various stages of decomposition, cells and tissues of soil microbes, and substances that soil microbes synthesize (Wikipedia). In order to save the world from self-destruction, we need to move towards sustainable carbon friendly farming. Many farms in Kenya have already embarked on this journey. […]

Designing A Suitable Fertigation System

Fertigation is the application of fertilizer together with the irrigation water. The most common form of fertigation in Kenya is via drip irrigation. Fertigation provides precise nutrition, application flexibility, minimized loses & environmental protection. Fertigation Benefits The benefits of drip fertigation to plants are that nutrients are applied directly into the active root zone with […]

Calcium Nitrate Alternatives In Hydroponic & Fertigation Systems

Calcium Nitrate is an inorganic compound with the formula Ca(NO3)2 and is mainly used as a component in fertilizers. In soil and plant nutrition Calcium is King. Calcium Nitrate is the only cheapish non-reactive water soluble calcium fertilizer suitable for drip feeding fertigated crops, so it goes without saying that calcium nitrate is the sovereign of fertilizers.  There are […]

Crop Fungicide Guide

Fungicides are biocidal chemical compounds used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality, and profit. Fungicide Classification Fungicides are mostly known by their brand names. But when you want to get scientific about farming, it’s important to understand a bit more about which ones to use in different crops, and […]

Fall Armyworm (FAW) Control

Fall Armyworm control methods discussed in this article are tested by Cropnuts independent Agronomy team. The recommendations given in this article are independent and are not biased to any fall armyworm insecticide company in any way. Fall Armyworm  (FAW) or Spodoptera frugiperda , is a new emerging invasive pest that is wreaking havoc in Kenya and many […]

Understanding and Preventing Aflatoxin Poisoning

Aflatoxins are poisonous by-products produced from the fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. These fungi are found in the soil and are responsible for decomposition of plant materials. Aspergillus is a mold that infects maize when stressed, but can infect other crops such as grain sorghum, peanuts and cotton. Aflatoxins are odorless, tasteless and have […]

Recent Changes in EU Plant Health Regulation

On 14th December 2019, a new EU plant health regulation ((EU) 2016/2031) comes into operation bringing rigorous new rules to prevent the introduction and spread of pests and diseases of plants in the EU. EU Phytosanitary Certificate Countries exporting fruit and vegetables to the EU must take action to ensure that all consignments are in […]

Think Agronomy: Prepare For Locust Plague

Think Agronomy is our new, regular broadcast keeping arable farmers updated with tips, tricks and knowledge from our experienced team of independent agronomists. To subscribe to receive our Agronomy newsletters straight to your email inbox, please click here Farmers of every crop type including livestock are being urgent to make plans to deal with the potential locust plague […]

Claydon Seeder Machine

Continuing our series looking at planters, this interesting offering from Claydon is particularly relevant to many farming situations in Kenya… Claydon uses a leading tine to open the soil ahead of a separate seeding tine, meaning that light surface compaction – from livestock grazing in the off-season for example – can be removed at seeding […]

Highland Maize Varieties List

Maize varieties grown in Kenya, their strong attributes and their vulnerabilities, especially to certain pests & diseases as tested in our maize crop trials. Maize Variety List Pannar 691 Maize Variety Still arguably the standard for yield despite being released in 2001. In most highland areas it requires 160 days to maturity. Good disease resistance […]

What’s The Difference Between Powdery and Downey Mildew

“What’s the difference between powdery mildew and downey mildew and what is used to treat them?” “What is this white powdery substance infesting my tomatoes? Pls help” are questions frequently asked by most first-time greenhouse farmers. Let’s figure out this puzzle together.. Powdery Mildew Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that causes destruction of leaves, […]

Hugo Wood Wheat Farming In Kenya Story

Wheat farming in Kenya is often witnessed in huge vast farms in Narok, Timau and Nakuru regions. What follows is an incredible story that is nothing short of legendary. Driving through Narok county in the month of June guarantees beautiful sceneries thanks to the massive trackfields of wheat whose sight comes close to a beautiful […]

What Makes A Great Seeder?

In this issue of #ThinkAgronomy we make comments on 3 crucial topics trending among broad acre farmers right now There seems to be a lot of conversation recently about seeders, so over the next few weeks we will be looking at a different manufacturer each week. First up is an interesting tine seeder from the […]

Wheat Varieties List

This week I take a look at wheat varieties in Kenya in anticipation of planting. Also we got latest trials results highlighting importance of Nitrogen and Sulphur in Canola Wheat Varieties List: Robin Njoro 2 Kwale Hawk Korongo Egale 10 Wren Tai Eldo baraka Mavuno Robin Still a solid wheat variety. First registered in 2009, […]

Avocado Farming Guide

Your ultimate Avocado Farming Guide: Avocado farming in Kenya and around the globe is gaining prominence partly because of the nutritious benefits of the avocado fruit. But where does one start in farming this delicious fruit? Here, we discuss more on the best practices on how to grow Avocados in Kenya. Full of flavor, packing […]

Nutrient Deficiency Guide For Crops

In order to determine which nutrients are deficient in your soil and understand your soil better, consider doing a soil analysis for your crops. Nutrient deficiency disease symptoms in plants is a common puzzle among crop farmers. What follows is a description of visual symptoms of deficiency diseases in plants due to lack of nutrients. […]

Top Dressing Fertilizer For Maize: Why Timing Is Key

Top dressing fertilizer for maize works best when the timing is key; ie. when it is applied at the correct crop growth stage and at the recommended rate. This is why: For maize, Urea application timing depends on an understanding of the key growth stages. As many crops reach top dressing timing, we look at […]

Starter Guide To Profitable Potato Farming

Is potato farming profitable? What are the potato fertilizer nutrient recommendations? What potato diseases and pests are likely to affect my crop? Are there potato virus diseases and what are their control methods? Ruth Vaughan, delves into all your questions.. Irish potato farming in Kenya & Africa at large is gaining ground as demand for […]

An Introduction To Plant Viruses

Plant viruses are viruses that affect plants. Like all other viruses, plant viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that do not have the molecular machinery to replicate without a host. Plant viruses are pathogenic to higher plants.  They can cause a dramatic decrease in yield, quality and shelf life and even plant death. Plant virus are made up of a strand of nucleic acid (DNA or […]

French Beans Farming Guide

French beans, also known as snap or green beans, and locally in Kenya as mishiri, are a major export crop. Interest in french beans farming is fast-growing for both fresh consumption and processing