Articles | Volume 6, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-6-1063-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-6-1063-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
17 Sep 2015
Research article |
| 17 Sep 2015
Precision of farmer-based fertility ratings and soil organic carbon for crop production on a Ferralsol
P. Musinguzi
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
P. Ebanyat
Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Plot 15, Naguru East Road, P.O. Box 7878, Kampala, Uganda
J. S. Tenywa
Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
T. A. Basamba
Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
M. M. Tenywa
Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
D. Mubiru
National Agricultural Research Laboratories, Kawanda, P.O. Box 7064 Kampala, Uganda
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Cited
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34 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Legumes Functional Group Promotes Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Storage by Increasing Plant Diversity G. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2570
- Comparing farmers’ soil fertility knowledge systems and scientific assessment in Upper Eastern Kenya A. Wawire et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115090
- Terrestrial ecosystem functioning affected by agricultural management systems: A review M. Sanaullah et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104464
- Eucalyptus geometry in agroforestry on waterlogged saline soils influences plant and soil traits in North-West India J. Dagar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.08.025
- A Quantitative Method for Long-Term Water Erosion Impacts on Productivity with a Lack of Field Experiments: A Case Study in Huaihe Watershed, China D. Lin et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8070675
- Farmland Conversion Decreases Regional and National Land Quality in China W. Song & M. Liu https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2518
- Soil and Nutrient Losses in a Flat Land‐Reclamation District of Central Italy N. Silvestri et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2549
- A Fully-Automated Environmental Chamber to Study the Interplay between Soil Desiccation Cracking, Temperature, and CO2 Concentration C. Clay Goodman & F. Vahedifard https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ20230388
- Effect of different organic substrates on reproductive biology, growth rate and offtake of the African night crawler earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae) F. Kabi et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-020-00284-5
- A Critical Review of the Water Balance and Agronomic Effects of Conservation Tillage under Rain‐fed Agriculture in Ethiopia D. Asmamaw https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2587
- Farmers' Knowledge Is the Basis for Local Level Agro-Forestry Management: The Case of Lemo Woreda in Hadiya Zone, Ethiopia Y. Horamo et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.739061
- Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential S. Namirembe et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02571862.2019.1640296
- Applying the USLE Family of Models at the Sparacia (South Italy) Experimental Site C. Di Stefano et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2651
- Agroforestry: a sustainable environmental practice for carbon sequestration under the climate change scenarios—a review F. Abbas et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8687-0
- CO2 emission and structural characteristics of two calcareous soils amended with municipal solid waste and plant residue N. Yazdanpanah https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-105-2016
- Soil CO2–C Emissions and Correlations with Soil Properties in Degraded and Managed Pastures in Southern Brazil E. Figueiredo et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2524
- Do farmers perceive a deficiency of soil organic matter? A European and farm level analysis R. Hijbeek et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.08.023
- Variations in Soil Physico-Chemical Properties as Influenced by Landuse in a Toposequence A. Arthur & D. Okae-Anti https://doi.org/10.4236/gep.2022.108008
- Assessing farm-scale spatial variability of soil nutrients in central India for site-specific nutrient management S. Behera et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-10138-x
- Empirical Sediment Transport Models Based on Indoor Rainfall Simulator and Erosion Flume Experimental Data H. Aksoy et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2555
- Local soil quality assessment of north-central Namibia: integrating farmers' and technical knowledge B. Prudat et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-47-2018
- Ecosystem Services Changes on Farmland in Response to Urbanization in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area of China X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10050501
- Linking soil fertility management practices to perceptions of soil fertility status among smallholder farmers in Kabarole District and Fort Portal City, Western Uganda C. Wacal et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2026.2701501
- The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals S. Keesstra et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-111-2016
- A new analytical model for predicting soil erosion and nutrient loss during crop growth on the Chinese loess plateau W. Tao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2020.104585
- Analysis of sesame seed production and export trends; challenges and strategies towards increasing production in Uganda C. Wacal et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/ocl/2020073
- Effect of Mulching with Vegetative Residues on Soil Water Erosion and Water Balance in an Oxisol Cropped by Cassava in East Cameroon T. Nishigaki et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2568
- Assessing the Biophysical Impact and Financial Viability of Soil Management Technologies Under Variable Climate in Cabo Verde Drylands: The PESERA‐DESMICE Approach I. Baptista et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2552
- Quantifying soil erosion effects on soil productivity in the dry-hot valley, southwestern China X. Duan et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5986-6
- Leguminous species sequester more carbon than gramineous species in cultivated grasslands of a semi-arid area Y. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-83-2017
- Relay cropping as a sustainable approach: problems and opportunities for sustainable crop production M. Tanveer et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8371-4
- GIS Based Spatial Prediction of Major Nutrient Status of Soils at Farm Scale for Site Specific Crop Management I. Yadav et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2023.2228342
- Assessing a farmer-based soil classification system vis-à-vis USDA soil taxonomy suborders in Kamuli District, Uganda F. Akitwine et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsrma.2026.1814702
- Assessing divergent consequences of payments for ecosystem services on rural livelihoods: A case‐study in China's Loess Hills Q. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3082
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 11 Aug 2026
Short summary
This study showed that resource-poor smallholder farmers can ably rate fields for soil fertility as poor or good but had difficulties in identifying medium-fertility fields. Rating with SOC improved precision to rate medium-fertility fields. SOC and clay content explained the highest yield variances in heterogeneous smallholder farms. A combination of SOC and farmers' field experiences can be affordable approaches to guide fertility management and fertilizer application.
This study showed that resource-poor smallholder farmers can ably rate fields for soil fertility...
