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Research Article

volume 38 issue 4 (august 2015) : 477-483,   Doi: 10.5958/0976-0571.2015.00131.9

Mitigating mid-season drought effect in soybean (Glycine max L. Merril) in Western Kenya

J
John Okoth Omondi
N
Nancy Wangari Mungai
J
Josephine Pamela Ouma
F
Fredrick Patrick Baijukya
1Crops, Horticulture and Soils Department, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536-20115 Egerton, Kenya.
Cite article:- Omondi Okoth John, Mungai Wangari Nancy, Ouma Pamela Josephine, Baijukya Patrick Fredrick (2025). Mitigating mid-season drought effect in soybean (Glycine max L. Merril) in Western Kenya. Asian Journal of Dairy and Food Research. 38(4): 477-483. doi: 10.5958/0976-0571.2015.00131.9.

ABSTRACT

Irregular rainfall distribution has increased incidences of mid-season drought in Western Kenya despite high amount of annual rainfall. This experiment’s aim was to determine soil moisture content under soybean and grain yield during mid-season drought. The objective was evaluated at two agro-ecological zones using sowing dates as main-plots, conventional and no tillage as sub-plots and Nyala, SB19 and SB20, soybean varieties, as sub-sub-plots. Soil moisture content between tillage methods at R2 and R4 in long and short rains were similar in Kanduyi and Alupe. However, it was different between sowing dates, among varieties and among interactions. Soybean grain yield was high on sowing at two weeks after the onset of long and short rains in Kanduyi whereas in Alupe it was the contrary. Increases of 5.9% and 12.8% in soil moisture in long rains and short rains respectively at R2 led to grain yield gain of 47.8% and 27.2% respectively at Kanduyi. Therefore, sowing at the onset of rains in Alupe and at two weeks after the onset of rains in Kanduyi increases soil moisture at R2 and R4 and consequently mitigates mid-season drought.

REFERENCES

  1. Ahmed, F.E., Suliman, A.S.H. (2010). Effect of water stress applied at different stages of growth on seed yield and water-use efficiency of Cowpea. Agriculture Biology Journal of North America 1: 534–540.
  2. Akmal, M., Shah, S.M., Asim, M., Arif, M. (2011). Causes of yield reduction by delayed planting of hexaploid wheat in Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany 43(5): 2561-2568.
  3. Andersson, E., Gabrielsson, S. (2012). ‘Because of poverty, we had to come together’: collective action for improved food security in rural Kenya and Uganda. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 10(3): 245-262.
  4. Awuor, C. (2009). Increasing drought in Kenya. In: Ensor J., Berger, R. (eds), Understanding Climate Change Adaptation: Lessons from community-based approaches. Practical Action. pp 101-114.
  5. Barati, S., Soleymani, A., Jazi, S.M.H. (2013). The effect of different planting Dates seed yield and yield Components of soybean cultivars in Shahrekord region. International Journal of Farming and Allied Sciences 2: 771-774.
  6. Brevedan, R.E., Egli, D.B. (2003). Short periods of water stress during seed filling, leaf senescence, and yield of Soybean. Crop Science journal 43: 2083-2088.
  7. Dankit, N., Wafula, W. (2002). Stability assessment of soybean varieties in Kenya. African Crop Science Journal 10: 139-144.
  8. Desclaux, D., Roumet, P. (1996). Impact of drought stress on the phenology of two soybean. Field Crops Research 46: 61-70.
  9. Dogan, E., Kirnak, H., Copur, O. (2007). Deficit irrigations during soybean reproductive stages and CROPGRO-soybean simulations under semi-arid climatic conditions. Field Crops Research 103: 154-159.
  10. Ferna´ndez, U.O., Virto, I., Bescansa, P., Imaz, M.J., Enrique, A., Karlen, D.L. (2009). No tillage improvement of soil physical quality in calcareous, degradation-prone, semiarid soils. Soil and Tillage Research 106: 29–35.
  11. Fox, P., Rockstrom, J. (2000). Water-Harvesting for supplementary irrigation of cereal crops to overcome intra-seasonal dry-spells in the Sahel. Physical Chemical Earth 25(3): 289-296.
  12. Fox, P., Rockstrom, J., Barron, J. (2005). Risk analysis and economic viability of water harvesting for supplemental irrigation in semi-arid Burkina Faso and Kenya. Agricultural Systems 83: 231-250.
  13. Gicheru, P., Gachene, C., Mbuvi, J., Mare, E. (2004). Effects of soil management practices and tillage systems on surface soil water conservation and crust formation on a sandy loam in semi-arid Kenya. Soil and Tillage Research 75: 173–184.
  14. Guto, S.N., de Ridder, N., Giller, K.E., Pypers, P., Vanlauwe, B. (2012). Minimum tillage and vegetative barrier effects on crop yields in relation to soil water content in the Central Kenya highlands. Field Crops Research 132: 129-138.
  15. Guto, S.N., Pypers, P., Vanlauwe, B., de Ridder, N., Giller, K.E. (2011). Tillage and vegetative barrier effects on soil conservation and short –term economic benefits in the Central Kenya highlands. Field Crops Research 122: 85-94.
  16. Hillel, D. 1980. Fundamentals of soil physics (1st edn). New York: Academic Press.
  17. Ilkaee, M.N., Paknejad, F., Ardakani, M.R., Kashani, A., Mirtaheri, S.M., Tookalo, M.R., Ashoori, N. (2012). Response of soybean (Glycin max L.) yield component to cultivars and sowing date. Asian Journal of Experimental Biological Science 3: 842–845.
  18. Jaetzold, R., Schmidt, H. (2005). Farm Management Handbook of Kenya (Rift Valley) (2nd edn). Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Marketing Nairobi.
  19. Kipkorir, E.C., Raes, D., Bargerei, R.J., Mugalavai, E.M. (2007). Evaluation of two risk assessment methods for sowing maize in Kenya. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 144: 193–199.
  20. Kulecho, I.K., Weatherhead, E.K. (2006). Adoption and experience of low-cost drip irrigation in Kenya. Irrigation and Drainage 55: 435–444. 
  21. Liu, F., Andersen, M.N., Jensen, C.R. (2003). Loss of pod set caused by drought stress is associated with water status and ABA content of reproductive structures in soybean. Function Plant Biology 30: 271–280.
  22. Mhizha, T., Geerts, S., Vanuytrecht, E., Makarau, A., Raes, D. (2014). Use of the FAO AquaCrop model in developing sowing guidelines for rainfed maize in Zimbabwe. Water SA 40(2): 233-244.
  23. Mugalavai, E.M., Emmanuel, C.K., Dirk, R., Manchiraju, S.R. (2008). Analysis of rainfall onset, cessation and length of growing season for Western Kenya. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 148: 1123-1135.
  24. Pannell, D.J., Rick, S.L., Marc, C. (2014). The farm-level economics of conservation agriculture for resource-poor farmers. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 187: 52-64.
  25. Rockstrom, J., Kaumbutho, P., Mwalley, J., Nzabi, A.W., Temesgen, M., Mawenya, L. (2009). Conservation farming strategies in East and Sourthern Africa: Yields and rain water productivity from on-farm action research. Soil and Tillage 103: 23-32.
  26. SAS. 2002. SAS for windows, version 9.00. Cary: NC USA.
  27. Sastawa, B.M., Lawan, M., Maina, Y.T. (2004). Management of insect pests of soybean: effects of sowing date and intercropping on damage and grain yield in the Nigerian Sudan savanna. Crop Protection 23: 155–161.
  28. Sinclair, T.R., Purcell, L.C., King, C.A., Sneller, C.H., Chen, P., Vadez, V. (2007). Drought tolerance and yield increase of soybean resulting from improved symbiotic N2 ûxation. Field Crops Research 101:68–71.
  29. Somasegaran, P., Hoben, H.J. (1994). Hand book for Rhizobia: Methods in Legume-rhizobia technology. New York: Springer– Verlag.
  30. Sweeney, D.W., Granade, G.V. (2002). Effect of a single irrigation at different reproductive growth stages on soybean planted in early and late June. Irrigation Science 21: 69-73.
  31. Tardieu, F., Granier, C., Muller, B. (2011). Water deficit and growth. Co–ordinating processes without an orchestrator. Plant biology 14: 283–289.
  32. Tefera, H. (2011). Breeding for Promiscuous Soybeans at IITA. In: Sudaric A, Soybean-Molecular Aspects of Breeding. InTech. pp 147–162.
  33. Unger, P.W., Payne, W.A., Peterson, G.A. (2006). Water conservation and efficient use. In: Peterson, G.A., Unger, P.W., Payne, W.A. (eds), Dryland Agriculture. Agronomy Monograph 23. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America. USA: Madison Wisconsin. pp 39–86.
  34. Unkovich, M., Herridge, D., Peoples, M., Cadisch, G., Boddey, B., Giller, K., Alves, B., Chalk, P. 2008. Measuring plant- associated nitrogen fixation in agricultural systems. ACIAR monograph No. 136.
  35. Yagoub. S.O., Hamed, M.H.A. (2013). Effect of sowing date on two genotypes of soybean (Glycine max. Merrill.) grown under semi-desert region. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research 1: 59-64.
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Asian Journal of Dairy and Food Research
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    Research Article

    volume 38 issue 4 (august 2015) : 477-483,   Doi: 10.5958/0976-0571.2015.00131.9

    Mitigating mid-season drought effect in soybean (Glycine max L. Merril) in Western Kenya

    J
    John Okoth Omondi
    N
    Nancy Wangari Mungai
    J
    Josephine Pamela Ouma
    F
    Fredrick Patrick Baijukya
    1Crops, Horticulture and Soils Department, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536-20115 Egerton, Kenya.
    Cite article:- Omondi Okoth John, Mungai Wangari Nancy, Ouma Pamela Josephine, Baijukya Patrick Fredrick (2025). Mitigating mid-season drought effect in soybean (Glycine max L. Merril) in Western Kenya. Asian Journal of Dairy and Food Research. 38(4): 477-483. doi: 10.5958/0976-0571.2015.00131.9.

    ABSTRACT

    Irregular rainfall distribution has increased incidences of mid-season drought in Western Kenya despite high amount of annual rainfall. This experiment’s aim was to determine soil moisture content under soybean and grain yield during mid-season drought. The objective was evaluated at two agro-ecological zones using sowing dates as main-plots, conventional and no tillage as sub-plots and Nyala, SB19 and SB20, soybean varieties, as sub-sub-plots. Soil moisture content between tillage methods at R2 and R4 in long and short rains were similar in Kanduyi and Alupe. However, it was different between sowing dates, among varieties and among interactions. Soybean grain yield was high on sowing at two weeks after the onset of long and short rains in Kanduyi whereas in Alupe it was the contrary. Increases of 5.9% and 12.8% in soil moisture in long rains and short rains respectively at R2 led to grain yield gain of 47.8% and 27.2% respectively at Kanduyi. Therefore, sowing at the onset of rains in Alupe and at two weeks after the onset of rains in Kanduyi increases soil moisture at R2 and R4 and consequently mitigates mid-season drought.

    REFERENCES

    1. Ahmed, F.E., Suliman, A.S.H. (2010). Effect of water stress applied at different stages of growth on seed yield and water-use efficiency of Cowpea. Agriculture Biology Journal of North America 1: 534–540.
    2. Akmal, M., Shah, S.M., Asim, M., Arif, M. (2011). Causes of yield reduction by delayed planting of hexaploid wheat in Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany 43(5): 2561-2568.
    3. Andersson, E., Gabrielsson, S. (2012). ‘Because of poverty, we had to come together’: collective action for improved food security in rural Kenya and Uganda. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 10(3): 245-262.
    4. Awuor, C. (2009). Increasing drought in Kenya. In: Ensor J., Berger, R. (eds), Understanding Climate Change Adaptation: Lessons from community-based approaches. Practical Action. pp 101-114.
    5. Barati, S., Soleymani, A., Jazi, S.M.H. (2013). The effect of different planting Dates seed yield and yield Components of soybean cultivars in Shahrekord region. International Journal of Farming and Allied Sciences 2: 771-774.
    6. Brevedan, R.E., Egli, D.B. (2003). Short periods of water stress during seed filling, leaf senescence, and yield of Soybean. Crop Science journal 43: 2083-2088.
    7. Dankit, N., Wafula, W. (2002). Stability assessment of soybean varieties in Kenya. African Crop Science Journal 10: 139-144.
    8. Desclaux, D., Roumet, P. (1996). Impact of drought stress on the phenology of two soybean. Field Crops Research 46: 61-70.
    9. Dogan, E., Kirnak, H., Copur, O. (2007). Deficit irrigations during soybean reproductive stages and CROPGRO-soybean simulations under semi-arid climatic conditions. Field Crops Research 103: 154-159.
    10. Ferna´ndez, U.O., Virto, I., Bescansa, P., Imaz, M.J., Enrique, A., Karlen, D.L. (2009). No tillage improvement of soil physical quality in calcareous, degradation-prone, semiarid soils. Soil and Tillage Research 106: 29–35.
    11. Fox, P., Rockstrom, J. (2000). Water-Harvesting for supplementary irrigation of cereal crops to overcome intra-seasonal dry-spells in the Sahel. Physical Chemical Earth 25(3): 289-296.
    12. Fox, P., Rockstrom, J., Barron, J. (2005). Risk analysis and economic viability of water harvesting for supplemental irrigation in semi-arid Burkina Faso and Kenya. Agricultural Systems 83: 231-250.
    13. Gicheru, P., Gachene, C., Mbuvi, J., Mare, E. (2004). Effects of soil management practices and tillage systems on surface soil water conservation and crust formation on a sandy loam in semi-arid Kenya. Soil and Tillage Research 75: 173–184.
    14. Guto, S.N., de Ridder, N., Giller, K.E., Pypers, P., Vanlauwe, B. (2012). Minimum tillage and vegetative barrier effects on crop yields in relation to soil water content in the Central Kenya highlands. Field Crops Research 132: 129-138.
    15. Guto, S.N., Pypers, P., Vanlauwe, B., de Ridder, N., Giller, K.E. (2011). Tillage and vegetative barrier effects on soil conservation and short –term economic benefits in the Central Kenya highlands. Field Crops Research 122: 85-94.
    16. Hillel, D. 1980. Fundamentals of soil physics (1st edn). New York: Academic Press.
    17. Ilkaee, M.N., Paknejad, F., Ardakani, M.R., Kashani, A., Mirtaheri, S.M., Tookalo, M.R., Ashoori, N. (2012). Response of soybean (Glycin max L.) yield component to cultivars and sowing date. Asian Journal of Experimental Biological Science 3: 842–845.
    18. Jaetzold, R., Schmidt, H. (2005). Farm Management Handbook of Kenya (Rift Valley) (2nd edn). Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Marketing Nairobi.
    19. Kipkorir, E.C., Raes, D., Bargerei, R.J., Mugalavai, E.M. (2007). Evaluation of two risk assessment methods for sowing maize in Kenya. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 144: 193–199.
    20. Kulecho, I.K., Weatherhead, E.K. (2006). Adoption and experience of low-cost drip irrigation in Kenya. Irrigation and Drainage 55: 435–444. 
    21. Liu, F., Andersen, M.N., Jensen, C.R. (2003). Loss of pod set caused by drought stress is associated with water status and ABA content of reproductive structures in soybean. Function Plant Biology 30: 271–280.
    22. Mhizha, T., Geerts, S., Vanuytrecht, E., Makarau, A., Raes, D. (2014). Use of the FAO AquaCrop model in developing sowing guidelines for rainfed maize in Zimbabwe. Water SA 40(2): 233-244.
    23. Mugalavai, E.M., Emmanuel, C.K., Dirk, R., Manchiraju, S.R. (2008). Analysis of rainfall onset, cessation and length of growing season for Western Kenya. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 148: 1123-1135.
    24. Pannell, D.J., Rick, S.L., Marc, C. (2014). The farm-level economics of conservation agriculture for resource-poor farmers. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 187: 52-64.
    25. Rockstrom, J., Kaumbutho, P., Mwalley, J., Nzabi, A.W., Temesgen, M., Mawenya, L. (2009). Conservation farming strategies in East and Sourthern Africa: Yields and rain water productivity from on-farm action research. Soil and Tillage 103: 23-32.
    26. SAS. 2002. SAS for windows, version 9.00. Cary: NC USA.
    27. Sastawa, B.M., Lawan, M., Maina, Y.T. (2004). Management of insect pests of soybean: effects of sowing date and intercropping on damage and grain yield in the Nigerian Sudan savanna. Crop Protection 23: 155–161.
    28. Sinclair, T.R., Purcell, L.C., King, C.A., Sneller, C.H., Chen, P., Vadez, V. (2007). Drought tolerance and yield increase of soybean resulting from improved symbiotic N2 ûxation. Field Crops Research 101:68–71.
    29. Somasegaran, P., Hoben, H.J. (1994). Hand book for Rhizobia: Methods in Legume-rhizobia technology. New York: Springer– Verlag.
    30. Sweeney, D.W., Granade, G.V. (2002). Effect of a single irrigation at different reproductive growth stages on soybean planted in early and late June. Irrigation Science 21: 69-73.
    31. Tardieu, F., Granier, C., Muller, B. (2011). Water deficit and growth. Co–ordinating processes without an orchestrator. Plant biology 14: 283–289.
    32. Tefera, H. (2011). Breeding for Promiscuous Soybeans at IITA. In: Sudaric A, Soybean-Molecular Aspects of Breeding. InTech. pp 147–162.
    33. Unger, P.W., Payne, W.A., Peterson, G.A. (2006). Water conservation and efficient use. In: Peterson, G.A., Unger, P.W., Payne, W.A. (eds), Dryland Agriculture. Agronomy Monograph 23. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America. USA: Madison Wisconsin. pp 39–86.
    34. Unkovich, M., Herridge, D., Peoples, M., Cadisch, G., Boddey, B., Giller, K., Alves, B., Chalk, P. 2008. Measuring plant- associated nitrogen fixation in agricultural systems. ACIAR monograph No. 136.
    35. Yagoub. S.O., Hamed, M.H.A. (2013). Effect of sowing date on two genotypes of soybean (Glycine max. Merrill.) grown under semi-desert region. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research 1: 59-64.
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