Influence of Farmer-Driven Composting Technology on Below and Above Ground Biology of Common Bean in Western Kenya
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Date
2018-07
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Science Domain International
Abstract
Composts are rich in nutrients especially carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These nutrients enhance the colonization of plants by beneficial endophytic and rhizosphere microbes. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted on MMUST farm to determine the effect of farmer-produced composts soil biota and above ground pests on bean plant within Western Kenya. five farmer-produced composts with varying plant and animal waste ingredients (FPC1, FPC2, FPC3, FPC4, FPC5), DAP fertilizer and controls. Each of the resulting 14 treatment combinations comprised of twin plots (3 m × 2 m) for the two bean varieties, each having n = 40 plants per variety, spaced at 50 cm × 15 cm, replicated in 3 blocks (24 m × 14 m) in a randomized block design. Rhizobium root nodules, rhizosphere fungal and bacterial populations (CFU 10-g of soil) where higher in the compost-treatments than in DAP, while soil nematode populations were low. Therefore, the present study concluded that farmer-produced composts in Western Kenya improve below and above ground of common bean.
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Keywords
Compost, common bean, biology and Western Kenya
Citation
Pamela Mwikali M.. Influence of Farmer-Driven Composting Technology on Below and Above Ground Biology of Common Bean in Western Kenya. Annual Research & Review in Biology. 2018 Jul; 27(5): 1-8