DETERMINANTS OF FERTILIZER MICRODOSING-INDUCED YIELD INCREMENT OF PEARL MILLET ON AN ACID SANDY SOIL
ALI Ibrahim, Robert Clement Abaidoo, Dougbedji Fatondji, Andrews Opoku
Experimental Agriculture October 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1017/s0014479715000241 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized complete block design field experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Millet crop grown at the ICRISAT research station in Niger over two years |
| Dose | 2 g hill−1 DAP, 6 g hill−1 NPK, 200 kg ha−1 broadcast NPK |
| Duration | Two-year experiment |
| Measures | leaf area index, leaf chlorophyll content, lateral root length density, soil pH, grain yield |
| Topics | Microdosing |
| Key findings | Fertilizer microdosing (2 g DAP or 6 g NPK per hill) achieved 86% and 79% of the grain yields of broadcast 200 kg NPK per hectare in 2013 and 2014, while increasing early leaf area index, leaf chlorophyll, and lateral root length density in the topsoil by 72% and 40% at 25 cm and 50 cm from the hill center. The authors conclude that the yield benefit comes from early lateral root proliferation enabling better exploitation of soil nutrients. |
Abstract
SUMMARY: Recent studies have reported the benefits of fertilizer microdosing in increasing crop yields in low input cropping systems. Little information is however available on the mechanisms underlying this effect. The objective of this study was therefore to explore the root-based mechanisms governing the growth enhancing phenomena of the fertilizer microdosing technology. A two-year experiment was conducted at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Research Station in Niger. Four treatments comprising (i) 2 g hill−1of diammonuim phosphate (DAP), (ii) 6 g hill−1of compound fertilizer NPK, (iii) broadcasting of 200 kg ha−1of compound fertilizer NPK (recommended rate) and (iv) unfertilized control was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. On average, fertilizer microdosing treatments (2-g DAP hill−1and 6-g NPK hill−1) achieved 86% and 79% of the grain yields recorded from broadcasting of 200-kg NPK ha−1, respectively, in 2013 and 2014. The leaf area index and leaf chlorophyll content significantly increased with fertilizer microdosing at the early stage of millet growth. At the same stage, fertilizer microdosing enhanced the lateral root length density in the topsoil (0–20 cm) by 72% and 40% at respective lateral distances of 25 cm and 50 cm from the centre of the hill compared with broadcast of 200-kg NPK ha−1. Fertilizer microdosing did not significantly change soil pH in the root zone. It is concluded that the positive effect of fertilizer microdosing in increasing millet yield results from the better exploitation of soil nutrients due to early lateral roots proliferation within the topsoil.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on microdosing, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use of microdosing to predict pharmacokinetics at the therapeutic dose: Experience with 5 drugs Volunteers | 2006 | Crossover study | |
| Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing. Participants who microdose psychedelics | 2021 | Self-blinding citizen science initiative with placebo control | n = 191 |
| Microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study Individuals starting to microdose with psilocybin mushrooms (Psilocybe cubensis) | 2022 | Double-blind placebo-controlled experimental design | n = 34 |
| Preliminary Report on the Effects of a Low Dose of LSD on Resting-State Amygdala Functional Connectivity. Healthy young adults, 18 to 35 years old | 2019 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 20 |
| Acute Mood-Elevating Properties of Microdosed Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Volunteers: A Home-Administered Randomized Controlled Trial. Healthy male volunteers | 2023 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 80 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Effect of fertilizer Microdosing of and Microbial Inoculation on Pearl Millet ( Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br) Growth on Two Soils of the Peanut Basin of Senegal International Journal of Applied Agricultural Sciences July 3, 2026
- Interactive Effects of Drought-Tolerant Varieties and Fertilizer Microdosing on Maize Yield, Nutrients Use Efficiency, and Profitability in the Sub-Humid Region of Benin Frontiers in Agronomy March 17, 2022
- Farmers' Soil Fertility Management in Niger and Opportunities for Improvements Through Mechanization, Microdosing, and Seed Coating Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems December 8, 2020
- Factors driving cereal response to fertilizer microdosing in sub‐Saharan Africa: A meta‐analysis Agronomy Journal July 1, 2020
- Intensification of Pearl Millet Production in Niger through Mechanized Sowing and Weeding, Seed Priming, Seed Treatment, and Microdosing Agronomy April 29, 2020
and 1 more in the library