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

Wambua Alex Mwaniki; Koske Joseph; Mutiso John; Mulinge Wellington; Kibunja Catherine; Eboi Bramuel

doi:doi:10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11

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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

Wambua Alex Mwaniki, Koske Joseph, Mutiso John, Mulinge Wellington, Kibunja Catherine, Eboi Bramuel

Published in Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics (Volume 5, Issue 6)

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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ACS 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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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
Y1  - 2017/11/11
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11
T2  - Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
JF  - Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
JO  - Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
SP  - 188
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

Wambua Alex Mwaniki

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

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
Mutiso John

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
Mulinge Wellington

Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Nairobi, Kenya
Kibunja Catherine

Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Nairobi, Kenya
Eboi Bramuel

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

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APA Style

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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ACS 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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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

Copy | Download

@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}
}

Copy | Download

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
Y1  - 2017/11/11
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjams.20170506.11
T2  - Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
JF  - Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
JO  - Science Journal of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
SP  - 188
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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