Title : Nutrient uptake and mineral composition response of Amaranthus species grown on acidic soil to animal manure amendments and micorrhizae enhancement in eastern cape province, South Africa
Abstract:
Although Amaranthus is among the most popularly grown and consumed nutritious indigenous leafy vegetable in Africa, it is rarely cultivated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa but gathered from the wild. Farmers in the Eastern Cape are involved in production of exotic vegetables but are mostly challenged by soil acidity. Lime is usually required to ameliorate acidic soils but most of these smallholder farmers do not afford it and other mineral fertilizers because these are unaffordable to them given their limited financial resource status. As a result, they apply animal manures to address challenges pertaining to soil fertility. When applied to acidic soils, animal manures have been observed to have an ameliorative effect that can make soil nutrients such as phosphorus, a nutrient which is mostly unavailable in acidic soils, to be more available to plants. Another affordable alternative towards making phosphorus more available to plants in acidic soils is inoculation of plants with Arbuscular Mychorrhizal Fungi (AMF). A study was therefore conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of augmenting acidic soil with different animal manures namely: cattle, sheep, poultry, goat and mineral fertilizers i.e. NPK and lime as well as inoculating with AMF, used singly or in combinations, on nutrient uptake and mineral composition of two Amaranthus species namely: A. hybridus and A. Cruentus. Fertilization of plants with animal manures singly or in combinations with NPK fertilizer and inoculation with AMF improved both nutrient uptake and mineral composition of Amaranthus species to be comparable with those fertilized with recommended NPK (mineral) fertilizer and lime. These plants performed better than the unfertilized and those inoculated with AMF only.
Audience Take Away:
- In our Province there is a challenge of food insecurity resulting from climate change, lack of resources and soil acidity. The audience will learn that even though one is faced with challenges, they should try every possible alternative means within their reach in order to survive.
- Explain how the audience will be able to use what they learn?
I believe that other people must be having better resources than what we have therefore they can learn to integrate better resources with what we have in order to produce affordable products. For example, someone could integrate our animal manures with the commercial mineral fertilizers and mycorrhizas in order to produce environmentally friendly fertilizers. - How will this help the audience in their job?
It could help the audience to always reshape their focus to also think about organic fertilizers and mycorrhizas when thinking about food security and nutrition. - Is this research that other faculty could use to expand their research or teaching?
Findings from this research will assist other researchers to expand their research scope. - Does this provide a practical solution to a problem that could simplify or make a designer’s job more efficient?
Yes, because the research is simple and developmental in nature. - Will it improve the accuracy of a design, or provide new information to assist in a design problem?
Definitely - List all other benefits
Improved food security and nutrition
