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Evaluation of the Most Significant Treatment Factors for Maize Grain Yields and Total Microbial Count in Long Term Agricultural Experiment (LTAE), Kenya

Received: 18 September 2017     Accepted: 8 October 2017     Published: 11 November 2017
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Abstract

Agriculture and its related economic activities form the main livelihood for Kenya population. The sector faces numerous challenges that have led to food insecurity in the country. Maize production plays a significant role in the country’ economic development contributing significantly to the national overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Declining maize grain yield is one of the major challenges that require interventions to avert the looming food crisis. To address the challenge various Long Term Agricultural Experiments (LTAE) and studies on soil fertility maintainance options have been developed. However, such studies have explored only single factors at a time with limited application of robust statistical application. Statistical procedures could offer best set of few treatment factors that explain the maize grain yields in LTAEs in Kenya and beyond. The focus of this paper was the application of robust statistical methods in obtaining set of minimum treatment factors that could be used in the determination maize grain yield in LTAE. Specifically, the paper sought to describe the trend in maize grain yield over the experimental period, characterize the input factors for maize grain yield and to determine the most significant treatment factors for maize grain yield and total microbial population count (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, rhizobia). The primary data was summarized from LTAE in National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL), Kabete under the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and secondary data imputed for experimental points falling outside the set field experimental design points. Two treatment factors were isolated (Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Nitrogen and Phosphorus (NP)) at their low factor levels as the most significant treatment factor in maximizing the maize grain yield and total microbial population count. It was possible to select a minimum set of treatment factors in LTAE that are critical in predicting the maize grain yield.

Published in Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics (Volume 5, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11
Page(s) 188-199
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Robust Statistical Analysis, Long Term Agricultural Experiments, Maize Trends, Total Microbes Population Count

References
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    Wambua Alex Mwaniki, Koske Joseph, Mutiso John, Mulinge Wellington, Kibunja Catherine, et al. (2017). Evaluation of the Most Significant Treatment Factors for Maize Grain Yields and Total Microbial Count in Long Term Agricultural Experiment (LTAE), Kenya. Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, 5(6), 188-199. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11

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    Wambua Alex Mwaniki; Koske Joseph; Mutiso John; Mulinge Wellington; Kibunja Catherine, et al. Evaluation of the Most Significant Treatment Factors for Maize Grain Yields and Total Microbial Count in Long Term Agricultural Experiment (LTAE), Kenya. Sci. J. Appl. Math. Stat. 2017, 5(6), 188-199. doi: 10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11

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    AMA Style

    Wambua Alex Mwaniki, Koske Joseph, Mutiso John, Mulinge Wellington, Kibunja Catherine, et al. Evaluation of the Most Significant Treatment Factors for Maize Grain Yields and Total Microbial Count in Long Term Agricultural Experiment (LTAE), Kenya. Sci J Appl Math Stat. 2017;5(6):188-199. doi: 10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11,
      author = {Wambua Alex Mwaniki and Koske Joseph and Mutiso John and Mulinge Wellington and Kibunja Catherine and Eboi Bramuel},
      title = {Evaluation of the Most Significant Treatment Factors for Maize Grain Yields and Total Microbial Count in Long Term Agricultural Experiment (LTAE), Kenya},
      journal = {Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics},
      volume = {5},
      number = {6},
      pages = {188-199},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjams.20170506.11},
      abstract = {Agriculture and its related economic activities form the main livelihood for Kenya population. The sector faces numerous challenges that have led to food insecurity in the country. Maize production plays a significant role in the country’ economic development contributing significantly to the national overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Declining maize grain yield is one of the major challenges that require interventions to avert the looming food crisis. To address the challenge various Long Term Agricultural Experiments (LTAE) and studies on soil fertility maintainance options have been developed. However, such studies have explored only single factors at a time with limited application of robust statistical application. Statistical procedures could offer best set of few treatment factors that explain the maize grain yields in LTAEs in Kenya and beyond. The focus of this paper was the application of robust statistical methods in obtaining set of minimum treatment factors that could be used in the determination maize grain yield in LTAE. Specifically, the paper sought to describe the trend in maize grain yield over the experimental period, characterize the input factors for maize grain yield and to determine the most significant treatment factors for maize grain yield and total microbial population count (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, rhizobia). The primary data was summarized from LTAE in National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL), Kabete under the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and secondary data imputed for experimental points falling outside the set field experimental design points. Two treatment factors were isolated (Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Nitrogen and Phosphorus (NP)) at their low factor levels as the most significant treatment factor in maximizing the maize grain yield and total microbial population count. It was possible to select a minimum set of treatment factors in LTAE that are critical in predicting the maize grain yield.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Evaluation of the Most Significant Treatment Factors for Maize Grain Yields and Total Microbial Count in Long Term Agricultural Experiment (LTAE), Kenya
    AU  - Wambua Alex Mwaniki
    AU  - Koske Joseph
    AU  - Mutiso John
    AU  - Mulinge Wellington
    AU  - Kibunja Catherine
    AU  - Eboi Bramuel
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11
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    JF  - Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
    JO  - Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
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    EP  - 199
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2376-9513
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11
    AB  - Agriculture and its related economic activities form the main livelihood for Kenya population. The sector faces numerous challenges that have led to food insecurity in the country. Maize production plays a significant role in the country’ economic development contributing significantly to the national overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Declining maize grain yield is one of the major challenges that require interventions to avert the looming food crisis. To address the challenge various Long Term Agricultural Experiments (LTAE) and studies on soil fertility maintainance options have been developed. However, such studies have explored only single factors at a time with limited application of robust statistical application. Statistical procedures could offer best set of few treatment factors that explain the maize grain yields in LTAEs in Kenya and beyond. The focus of this paper was the application of robust statistical methods in obtaining set of minimum treatment factors that could be used in the determination maize grain yield in LTAE. Specifically, the paper sought to describe the trend in maize grain yield over the experimental period, characterize the input factors for maize grain yield and to determine the most significant treatment factors for maize grain yield and total microbial population count (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, rhizobia). The primary data was summarized from LTAE in National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL), Kabete under the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and secondary data imputed for experimental points falling outside the set field experimental design points. Two treatment factors were isolated (Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Nitrogen and Phosphorus (NP)) at their low factor levels as the most significant treatment factor in maximizing the maize grain yield and total microbial population count. It was possible to select a minimum set of treatment factors in LTAE that are critical in predicting the maize grain yield.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Planning and Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

  • Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

  • Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Department of Planning and Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Nairobi, Kenya

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