Role of Faba Bean ( Vicia Faba L.) for Intensification of Cereal- Based Cropping Systems in the Humid Highlands of Ethiopia
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Ghent University Academic Bibliography Supervisors: Prof. dr. ir. Pascal Boeckx Isotope Bioscience Laboratory (ISOFYS), Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Ghent University, Gent, Belgium Prof. dr. ir. Jan Diels Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium Dean: Prof. dr. ir. Guido Van Huylenbroeck Rector: Prof. dr. Anne De Paepe Amsalu Nebiyu Woldekirstos Role of faba bean ( Vicia faba L.) for intensification of cereal- based cropping systems in the humid highlands of Ethiopia Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor (PhD) in Applied Biological Sciences Dutch translation of the title: Rol van fababonen ( Vicia faba L.) voor intensivering van teeltsystemen op basis van granen in de vochtige hooglanden van Ethiopië Illustration on the front cover: The faba bean ( Vicia faba L.) crop at early flowering in the highlands of Dedo, Southwestern Ethiopia Citation: Amsalu Nebiyu, 2014. Role of faba bean ( Vicia faba L.) for intensification of cereal-based cropping systems in the humid highlands of Ethiopia. PhD thesis, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium, 201p. ISBN 978-90-5989-686-4 The author and promoters give the authorization to consult and copy parts of this work for personal use only. Every other use is subject to copyright laws. Permission to reproduce any material contained in this work should be obtained from the author. Acknowledgements First of all I would to thank the almighty GOD for his grace, love, strength and patience he gave me to do this work. I am sincerely indebted to my promoters Prof. Dr. ir. Pascal Boeckx at UGent and co-promoter Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Diels at KU Leuven for their guidance from the inception to its completion. This work would not have been successfully accomplished without their constant visits and follow up during the field experimentation, unreserved guidance in developing manuscripts, their priceless comments and patience in correcting and editing the entire chapters. With his busy schedule, Pascal’s office was always open for assistance when I needed any help. I would like also to thank the members of the examination committee: Prof. Emmanuel Frossard (ETH, Zürich), Dr. Bernard Vanlauwe (IITA, Nairobi), Prof. Geert Haesaert (Ugent), Prof. Stefaan De Neve (Ugent), Prof. Dirk Reheul (Ugent) and Prof. Peter Bossier (Ugent) for their patience to critically review the thesis. The observant comments were very useful to improve the final manuscript. The research work reported in this thesis was sponsored by the Flemish Inter-University Council (VLIR) in collaboration with Jimma University (JU), Ethiopia. I am very grateful to VLIR for the financial support and JU for giving me the opportunity and study leave to pursue my study. My study has much benefited from the wholehearted administrative work of VLIR-IUC staff members both from South (JU) and North (Belgium). Thank you very much Jemal Abafita, Boka Assefa and Kassahun Eba, during your respective terms as IUC-JU program manager. Helke i Acknowledgments Baeyens and Mira Jashari are also duly acknowledged for their efficient scholarship management. I wish to express my heart-felt gratitude to Hari Ram Upadhayay for his valuable contributions during the greenhouse study to determine the B-values . On top of that, his cheerful friendship and laughter is unforgettable. My gratitude also goes to the entire staff of ISOFYS for the nice atmosphere in the lab, with special thanks to Erik Gillis for his helpfulness, Katja Van Nieuland for her organizational talent, enthusiasm and 15 N and P analysis, and Saskia Van der Looven for her unreserved efforts to handle my administrative issues in UGent. The Flemish MSc students Niels Jacobs, Adeline Vandorpe and Davy Polfliet deserve my words to sincerely thank for their valuable contribution both in the field at Jimma and laboratory works at ISOFYS. Many thanks go to experts of the Dedo district bureau of agriculture for their support during selecting the experimental sites and allowing me to work on farmers fields. The contribution of development agents at Geshe (Nigatu Hassen, Genet Gebre, and Sultan) and Gerima (Tariku Beyene) villages for taking care of the experimental plots was very helpful. I am especially grateful to Daniel Damtew and Alemseged Amanuel for their inexhaustible willingness to work and learn during the field work. The field work and completion of the data collection would not have been possible without their help. Thanks also go to Bayu Dume and Etetu shiferaw for their unreserved and careful care for samples during the soil and plant sample preparations at Jimma soils lab. I am also indebted to my fellow PhD student, Endalkachew Kissi, for his continuous sharing of meteorological data of the region and cheerful moments in office. I am also especially thankful to the highland pulses improvement ii program at Holeta Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia for continuous provision of pure seeds of faba beans for the entire study. Last but not least my special thanks go to my wife Mekides Girma for taking care of our son, Amanuel, in my absence. Your tolerance, affection, encouragement and support made this work realized. Your understanding and shouldering multiple responsibilities at home demands my appreciation. iii iv Table of contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................ i Table of contents .............................................................................................................................. v List of tables ..................................................................................................................................... ix List of figures .................................................................................................................................. xiii Summary ......................................................................................................................................... xv Samenvatting .................................................................................................................................. xix List of symbols and abbreviations .................................................................................................. xxiii Chapter 1. General Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1. An overview of the Ethiopian setting, soils and cropping systems .................................................. 1 1.2. An overview and description of the study area ................................................................................. 4 1.3. Soil fertility depletion and nutrient balances ................................................................................... 9 1.4. Sustainable cropping system: concepts and principles .................................................................... 13 1.5. Role of faba bean in sustainable cropping systems ....................................................................... 16 1.5.1. The faba bean ( Vicia faba L.) crop ........................................................................................... 16 1.5.2. Biological N 2 fixation (BNF) and N balance .......................................................................... 19 1.5.2.1. Development of the legume-Rhizobia symbiosis ........................................................ 21 1.5.2.2. Interactions between soil P, fertilizers and BNF ................................................................ 23 1.5.3. Methods to quantify BNF .......................................................................................................... 25 1.5.4. Effects of faba bean on subsequent crop performance ...................................................... 26 1.5.4.1 Nitrogen effects ................................................................................................................. 26 1.5.4.2 Phosphorus effects ............................................................................................................ 27 1.5.4.3 Non-nitrogen pre-crop effects........................................................................................... 30 1.6. Aims and outlines of the thesis ........................................................................................................ 31 Chapter 2 . Importance of variety specific B-value to quantify biological N 2 fixation of faba beans via 15 N natural abundance..................................................................................................................... 33 2.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 34 2.2. Materials and methods .................................................................................................................. 38 2.2.1 Experimental setup .................................................................................................................... 38 v Table of contents 2.2.2 Plant growth, harvest and analyses ........................................................................................... 39 2.2.3 Correction for seed N ................................................................................................................