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. […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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. Fungicides 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 […]
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Fall Army Worm (FAW), is a new emerging invasive pest that is wreaking havoc in Kenya and many other parts of the world, causing huge losses to farmers and impacting on food security. Fall Army Worm (FAW) or Spodoptera frugiperda, is a caterpillar native to tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Americas. FAW was first detected in West and Central Africa early […]
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Couch grass is a common and invasive perennial grass with creeping under leaves stems known as rhizomes. It spreads rapidly to form dense mats of underground stems. Grows among cultivated crops and competes for water, nutrients and also harbors pests and diseases. Host plants includes citrus maize, sugarcane and cotton among other crops. Couch Grass […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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“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, […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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, […]
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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 these delicious fruit? Full of flavor, packing a high nutrient punch and neatly protected by its own skin, it is no wonder that the amazing avocado is […]
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Post harvest losses in Kenya are startling as revealed by recent statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) In 2017, Sh150 billion worth of food went to waste, tossed out or left to rot, a report that tries to track food waste has said. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), farmers […]
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Nutrient deficiency disease symptoms is a common puzzle among crop farmers. What follows is a description of visual symptoms related to specific plant nutrition or nutrient deficiencies commonly found in crops. While useful as a starting point to diagnosing production problems, keep in mind that multiple nutrition disorders often occur simultaneously. To understand your soil […]
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Top dressing fertilizer for maize works best when it is applied at the correct crop growth stage and at the recommended rate. This article explains why.. Understanding the key growth stages of Maize is crucial to getting nutrients applied at the correct timing. As many crop reach top dressing timing, we look at the main […]
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Potato farming in Kenya is gaining ground as demand for the potatoes grow due rapid urbanization and the good price the crop fetches.. Potato farming production around the globe has risen steadily over the years (267 million metric tons in 1990 to 377 million metric tons in 2016). China is the largest producer of potatoes […]
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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 RNA) surrounded by a protein sheath. Technically they are not living, as they are not cell based so cannot […]
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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
Read MoreCrop Nutrition Laboratory Services, Limuru, off Limuru road, P.O. Box 66437-00800 Nairobi – Kenya
+254 711 094 444 / +254 736 839 933
