Forschungseinheit „Landnutzung & Biokonvention“

“Studies on the possibility of improving soybean (Glycine max. (L.) Merril) cultivation in smallholder maize-based cropping systems in different agroecological zones of Kenya (with special reference to varieties with the ability of promiscuous nodulation and spatio-temporal patterns of chances and risks of cultivation)”

Human consumption of soybean in Kenya is expected to rise considerably in the next few years. The number of producers is still small and they are dispersed throughout the country. The level of awareness among communities on the nutritional value of soybean products is still low and it has reached only a small portion of the population. 

The project aims at technologies to boost soybean production and utilization by smallholder farmers in Kenya, with promiscuous soybean varieties used as a vehicle for introducing the crop. Besides microbiological investigations experiments on crop-soil-water relationship as well as thermal adaptation and a numerical analysis (yield simulation modelling, ENSO model, GIS) will be performed test the spatio-temporal potentials for defined varieties in different agroecological zones.

Start: 2002, duration: 3 years (VW Foundation)

Publications:

• Final report published as:
  HORNETZ, B., SHISANYA, C.A., GITONGA, N.M. & MAINGI, J.M. (2006): Studies on the possibility of improving soybean (Glycine max. (l.) merril) cultivation in smallholder maize-based copping systems in different agroecological zones of kenya (with special reference to varieties with the ability of promiscuous nodulation and spatio-temporal patterns of chances and risks of cultivation).- (= Materialien zur Ostafrika-Forschung, Heft 30), Trier
  
  
• HORNETZ, B., MAINGI, J.M., GITONGA, N.M., SHISANYA, C.A. & MULUVI, G.M. (2006): Population levels of indigenous Brady rhizobianodulating promiscuous soybean in two Kenyan soils of the semi-arid and semi-humid agroecological zone.- Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics, Vol. 107/2, 149-159

Participating scientists:

Prof. Dr. Berthold Hornetz
FB VI / Biogeographie
Trier University  

Prof. Dr. Chris A. Shisanya
Department of Geography
Kenyatta University, Nairobi (Kenya)

Prof. Dr. Nkanata M. Gitonga, Dr. J.M. Maingi
Department of Botany
Kenyatta University, Nairobi (Kenya)

Dr. Rolf Russow, Dr. Florian Stange
Department of Soil Science
UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Halle-Leipzig

Cooperation with:

Dr. N. Sanginga, Dr. B. VanLeauwe
TSBF - CIAT, World Agroforesty Centre (WAC)
Nairobi (Kenya)

Dr. D. Odee, Mr. J. Machiwa
Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)
Muguga (Kenya)

Dr. Friesen
CIMMYT
Nairobi (Kenya)

Dr. A. Bationo
AfNET
Nairobi (Kenya)

KARI Regional Research Centre
Embu (Kenya)