developing quick guides step-by-step - ipni

Mail PO Box 500 GPO, Penang 10670, Malaysia

Office c/o The WorldFish Center, Jalan Batu Maung, Batu Maung, 11960 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia Ph +60 4 6202 284 • Fax +60 4 6264 380 • E-mail [email protected] • URL http://seap.ipni.net

International Plant Nutrition Institute Regional Office • Southeast Asia

Developing Quick Guides for fertilizing hybrid maize in large areas

What is a Quick Guide?

A Quick Guide (QG) is a one-page summary of plant nutrition and crop management guidelines for larger areas (i.e. district, municipality). Quick Guides are designed to provide farmers with location-specific guidelines based on the principles of site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) by capturing the most important factors that affect fertilizer recommendations in a given region. Quick Guides are developed in a consultative fashion by local maize experts (i.e. researchers and extension from government and private agencies, crop advisors, farmer leaders) with the aid of the software Nutrient Expert TM for Hybrid Maize. Quick Guides aim to facilitate the dissemination of SSNM by reaching out to a large number of maize farmers in extension campaigns. Each Quick Guide presents fertilizer and crop management recommendations for the most relevant maize-growing scenarios (i.e. maize areas with common growing environments, farming practices, and yield levels) within the given area. Farmers then select the recommendation that best matches the location-specific conditions of their maize fields (e.g. irrigated or rainfed, crop rotation, soil type, crop residue management, etc). Quick Guides are best complemented by other extension tools and approaches, such as videos on best management practices for maize, farmers’ meetings, and guidelines for on-farm evaluation of the suggested recommendations. Information required in developing Quick Guides

The following set of information is required to develop a Quick Guide for a specific area:

• Characteristics of the growing environment o availability of water (i.e. irrigated or rainfed) o soil texture o soil color or organic matter content o other soil-related constraints, if any (e.g. acidity);

• Crop rotation (e.g. maize-maize, rice-maize);

• Common practices for managing crop residues;

This document provides you with • An overview of a Quick Guide • The information required to develop a Quick Guide • The steps involved in developing a Quick Guide • Examples of Quick Guides • Template of a baseline farm survey questionnaire

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• Maize yields obtained for specific growing seasons; and

• Fertilizer application history and use of organic amendments (if any).

Developing a Quick Guide: Step-by-step procedure

The development of a Quick Guide requires the active participation of a team of local maize experts (i.e. researchers and extension agents from government and/or private agencies, crop advisors, farmer leaders). Members of the local team need to sit together and ensure that reliable data (i.e. from farm surveys, maps, reports) are available on which to base the following steps: Step 1. Identify the maize farming conditions and/or practices within a site (e.g.

municipality) and determine the extent (area) covered by each condition/practice. Factor Characteristics % of total maize area

Water availability Irrigated1 Favorable rainfed2 Less favorable rainfed3

Soil type Light (e.g. sandy loam) Medium to heavy (e.g. clay loam, clayey)

Cropping system Maize – maize Rice – maize Maize – other crop

Crop residue management

All aboveground residue removed All aboveground residue returned All aboveground residue retained and burned

1 Irrigated: irrigation water is available as needed during the maize growing season 2 Favorable rainfed: rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the maize growing period and sufficient for the

moisture requirement of maize crop; drought occurrence is 0 to 1 in a 5-year period. 3 Less favorable rainfed: the maize crop depends on rainfall, but rainfall distribution during the growing period

might be erratic or less favorable; and drought is likely to occur 2 to 3 times in a 5-year period. Step 2. Identify the most relevant maize growing scenarios in the area and determine the

number of fertilizer recommendations

• Identify the field characteristics or farming practice/s (listed in Step 1) that represent a substantial portion (in terms of area or production level) of the maize fields and/or farming situations

• The total number of scenarios to be included in the QG must cover majority (at least 50% of the total area) of the maize farming situations. A scenario is determined by the variability of a set of factors (i.e. see list in Step 1) that affect the fertilizer requirement of the maize crop (see examples below). A maize growing area with homogeneous field characteristics and farming practices can be represented by a single scenario (i.e. one recommendation for the entire municipality).

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• For easier comprehension of the QG, limit the number of scenarios per QG to not

more than three scenarios, with each scenario having only one or two options (e.g. with or without Bio-N use, use of single element fertilizers or compound fertilizers, etc).

• Limit the number of recommendations in one QG to six (i.e. 3 scenarios x 2

options).

Example 1: Water availability: Favorable rainfed = 70% (of total maize area), Irrigated = 30% Soil type: sandy loam = 90% Cropping system: maize – maize (100%) Crop residue management: all aboveground residue retained and incorporated (100%) Possible number of scenarios: two (1) Rainfed (2) Irrigated)

Example 2:

Water availability: Favorable rainfed = 100% Soil type: sandy loam = 60%, clayey soils = 40% Cropping system: maize – maize (60%), rice – maize (40%) Possible number of scenarios: two (1) sandy soils with maize – maize cropping (2) clayey soils with rice – maize cropping

Example 3:

Water availability: Less favorable rainfed without supplemental irrigation (70%); Rainfed with supplemental irrigation (30%)

Soil type: sandy soils (40%); loamy to clayey soils (60%) Cropping system: maize – maize (100%) Possible number of scenarios: three (1) loamy to clayey soils without supplemental irrigation (2) sandy soils without supplemental irrigation (3) loamy to clayey soils with supplemental irrigation

Note: In less favorable rainfed environments, it would be useful to provide two fertilizer guidelines depending on rainfall or soil moisture condition (i.e. Plan A – for situations with sufficient rainfall and soil moisture during planned dates for fertilizer application; Plan B – for situations of delayed rainfall at V6 or V8, where fertilizer application rates and timing are adjusted as a result of the delayed availability of soil moisture). Plan A and Plan B guidelines are provided by the Nutrient Expert TM for Hybrid Maize software when the growing environment is “less favorable rainfed”.

Step 3. Run the Nutrient Expert TM for Hybrid Maize software to develop a fertilizer

recommendation for each maize-growing scenario. The input data for the software (i.e. growing environment, current farmer’s practice, yield, and fertilizer use) can be

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based on (1) individual farms/farmers who are representative of the maize-growing scenario, or (2) data gathered from farm surveys, maps, and reports that represent each maize-growing scenario. The following output from the software is required:

(a) estimate of attainable yield (yield goal) (b) fertilizer N, P2O5, and K2O requirements (c) fertilizer application strategy or guideline, with

- right sources of nutrients (fertilizer) - right timing of application - right rate of fertilizer to apply

Note: Print or save the “Report” of the “Sources and Splitting” module (i.e. fertilizer guideline) for your reference

Step 4. Compile the recommendations into one prototype QG, using the templates in

powerpoint:

• 2 scenarios: use the 2-fold template • 3 scenarios: use the 3-fold template

Step 5. Evaluate the newly-developed fertilizer guidelines with farmers. Step 6. Revise (if necessary) and finalize Quick Guide for reproduction.

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Sample Quick Guide

Example of a Quick Guide using the two-fold template with two scenarios differentiated by soil texture and cropping system. Each scenario includes options for the use or not of Bio-N.

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Sample Quick Guide

Example of a Quick Guide for a less favorable rainfed environment using the three-fold template with three scenarios. The scenarios are differentiated by landscape position, soil texture, and presence or absence of supplemental irrigation. Each scenario includes two plans or recommendations: (i) when moisture is sufficient at critical growth stages (upper portion), and (ii) in case of delayed rainfall (lower portion).

Mail PO Box 500 GPO, Penang 10670, Malaysia

Office c/o The WorldFish Center, Jalan Batu Maung, Batu Maung, 11960 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia Ph +60 4 6202 284 • Fax +60 4 6264 380 • E-mail [email protected] • URL http://seap.ipni.net


Sample questionnaire for farm survey

Information requirement for developing Quick

Guides for Maize using the Nutrient Expert for Hybrid Maize software

Region: ______ Province: __________________ Municipality: _____________________

Farmer Name: _______________________________________________________________ Maize season: [ ] dry [ ] wet

Water availability: [ ] Irrigated [ ] Fully rainfed [ ] Rainfed with supplemental irrigation Soil Type: [ ] CLAYEY [ ] LOAMY [ ] SANDY A. Site characteristics

1. Flooding problems [ ] Often [ ] Seldom [ ] Never [Often = 2 or 3 out of 5 times; Seldom = 1 out of 5 times]

2. Drought problems [ ] Often [ ] Seldom [ ] Never [Often = 2 or 3 out of 5 times; Seldom = 1 of 5 times]

3. Soil depth (from surface to rock layer or parent material) [ ] deep (50 cm or more) [ ] shallow (less than 50 cm)

4. Presence of soil-related problems or constraints (note: answer can be more than one)

[ ] acidity Soil pH: ____ (If pH is below 5.3, liming is recommended) [ ] Mg deficiency [ ] micronutrients (select from a list: boron, copper, iron, manganese, zinc) [ ] problem soils (select from a list: acid sulfate soils, degraded soils, saline soils) [ ] none

5. Soil color and organic matter content: [ ] reddish or yellowish color [ ] grayish or brownish [ ] very dark soil with high organic matter and high fertility

6. Has your soil been analyzed for P and K in the past 3-5 years? [ ] Yes [ ] No If yes, choose the level of soil P: [ ] low [ ] medium [ ] high If yes, choose the level of soil K: [ ] deficient [ ] sufficient

7. Is your soil known to be of volcanic origin and contain allophone? [ ] Yes [ ] No

This questionnaire refers only to maize production in flat to gently sloping areas. Maize grown in hilly areas is not covered in this questionnaire.

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B. Current Farmers’ Fertilizer Practice for Maize (for the selected season)

1. Application of manure and/or compost: [ ] YES [ ] NO

If Yes, since when have farmers been applying manure/compost? [ ] 3 years or less [ ] more than 3 years

If Yes, what is the rate of manure or compost that farmers apply? [ ] less than 2 t/ha [ ] 2 t/ha or more

2. How much fertilizer do farmers apply to their maize field? Specify no. of fertilizer application, timing or schedule of each application (i.e. days after planting), fertilizer source and amount applied.

Inorganic fertilizer

Application no.

Days after planting

Fertilizer name (e.g. urea, 14-14-14, etc)

Number of bags per ha

Note: 1 bag of fertilizer = 50 kg Organic fertilizer (e.g. chicken manure)

Organic fertilizer source Weight of full bag (kg) Number of bags per ha

Please indicate NPK content of organic fertilizer, if known:

N: ______ % P2O5: ______ % K2O: ______ % Note: For commercial organic fertilizers (e.g. Sagana 100, Greenfields, etc), nutrient content in N, P2O5 and K2O are required.

3. Farmer’s current planting density: a. What is the distance between rows? ____ (cm) b. What is the distance between plants in a row? _____ (cm) c. How many plants per hill? [ ] 1 [ ] 2

4. What do the farmers do with maize residues after harvest? [ ] Remove all the above ground residues from the field [ ] Retain stover in the field and incorporate

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[ ] Retain stover in the field and burn [ ] Compost stover for incorporation to next crop

5. What is the yield of hybrid maize for a typical season in the past 3 to 5 years? Provide total amount of harvested grain per hectare (measured at shelling). Filed size: 1 ha Fresh weight: _________ (local unit, eg. cavan, ton) 1 local unit = ___ kg Moisture content (if known): _______ (%)

6. Do you have results from omission plot trials conducted in a similar field (i.e. same soil type, topography/slope, and water availability) in the municipality?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Yield with NPK: ________ (t/ha)

N response: ______ t/ha; P response: ______ t/ha; K response: ______ t/ha 7. Do you apply Bio-N? [ ] Yes [ ] No

C. Crop grown before the selected season for maize (i.e. crop in the previous season)

Note: • If the cropping system is ‘rice – maize’, the selected season for maize is

‘dry season’ and the previous crop is rice. • If the cropping system is ‘maize-maize’, the selected season for maize

can either be ‘wet’ or ‘dry’. If the selected season for maize is ‘dry’, the previous crop is ‘wet season’ maize.

• If the cropping system is ‘maize – fallow’, there is no previous crop.

• If the cropping system is ‘maize – other crop’, the previous crop is something other than maize or rice (e.g. sweet potato, cassava, eggplant, mungbean, onion, peanut, tomato)

1. Choose or specify the crop, yield, and residue management Previous Crop Yield*(t/ha) Residue Management

[ ] Maize

[ ] Removed all above ground residues from the field [ ] Retained stover in field for incorporation to next crop [ ] Retained stover in field and burned [ ] Composted stover for incorporation to next crop

[ ] Rice

[ ] Removed all aboveground residues from the field [ ] Retained stubble but removed straw from field [ ] Returned straw from pile after threshing and

spread in field before the next season [ ] Other (specify) [ ] Removed all above ground residues from field

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________________ [ ] Retained crop residues for incorporation to next crop

[ ] Fallow * Please indicate moisture content of the yield. Alternatively, indicate whether it is sun-‐dried or measured at threshing (for rice) or shelling (for maize).

2. How much fertilizer did farmers apply to the previous crop? Inorganic fertilizer

Fertilizer name (e.g. urea, 14-14-14, etc) Number of bags per ha

Organic fertilizer (e.g. chicken manure)

Organic fertilizer source Weight of full bag (kg) Number of bags per ha

Please indicate NPK content of organic fertilizer, if known:

N: ______ % P2O5: ______ % K2O: ______ % Note: For commercial organic fertilizers (e.g. Sagana 100, Greenfields, etc), nutrient content in N, P2O5 and K2O are required.

developing quick guides step-by-step - ipni

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