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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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, […]
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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
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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 […]
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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 […]
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CROPNUTS, Flowerwatch and Dudutech have come together to organize a training on Botrytis Management. The three companies create a good balance to tackle the challenge of Botrytis completely, offering crop nutrition, crop protection and post-harvest disease management strategies. We are keen to address and train farms on how to manage Botrytis. We will have 4 training […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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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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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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 […]
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Nutrient deficiency disease symptoms in plants is a common puzzle among crop farmers. In order to determine which nutrients are deficient in your soil and understand your soil better, consider doing a soil analysis for your crops. What follows is a description of visual symptoms of deficiency diseases in plants due to lack of nutrients. […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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