Two field experiments were conducted on sandy loam soils in OKhahlamba Local Municipality (OLM) (Bergville area), KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa, during the rainy seasons of 2014/15 and 2015/16 to study the effect of calcium source (gypsum) fertilizer application on yield and quality of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The household economy of OLM is mostly dependent on agriculture and the majority of farmers in this area are small-scale farmers subsisting mainly on maize (constituting the staple diet) and groundnut production. Crop diversification, therefore, becomes an important aspect for farmers, and this is traditionally done using crops that are produced in almost similar agronomic circumstances to that of maize under dryland conditions. A large proportion of the OLM population depend on groundnut as a vital supplement to their daily food requirements, particularly as a cheap source of protein for resource-poor farmers. Therefore, any scientific approach to increase the yield of groundnut should be considered important in the livelihood of this community. Moreover, groundnut is an excellent rotational crop, since it responds well to fertilizer applied to previous crop and maize, as well as to crop, since it responds well to fertilizer applied to previous crop and maize, as well as to nitrogen left over by peanut. Thus, farmers save money because they use less fertilizer. The consideration for this study was based upon the above. The experiment was laid in a randomised complete block design with factorial arrangement, which was replicated three times in 48 plots. The factors studied were four levels of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) i.e. 0 kg/ha, 500 kg/ha, 750 kg/ha, and 1000 kg/ha and four levels of lime (MgCO3.CaCO3) i.e. 0 kg/ha, 250 kg/ha, 500 kg/ha, 750 kg/ha. Soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC), pod yield, seed yield, 100 seeds weight, shelling percentage, dry shoot weight, seed moisture content percentage at harvest, and leaf calcium concentration data were collected prior to, and post harvesting. The application of 500 kg gypsum/ha alone acted as a liming factor for legumes, decreasing acid stress on nodulating bacteria, and improved soil chemical properties (increased soil pH), vegetative growth, yield, and quality of groundnut. The smallholder famers can afford this application rate, since gypsum acts both as a liming factor and as a calcium source to improve crop yield. The application of 1000 kg gypsum/ha improved seed yield, shelling percentage as well as kernel weight, which is yield, and quality of groundnut under dryland conditions. Since smallholder farmers practise dryland production, it is advisable to adopt the application of gypsum at the rate of 1000 kg/ha to improve yield and quality of groundnuts. It was also found to be more economical than using both gypsum and lime. The application of 500 kg gypsum per hectare in combination with 250 kg lime per hectare produced the highest shelling percentage. This combination of two calcium sources (gypsum and lime) is not recommended for small-scale farmers because it is not economical. The application of 500 kg gypsum per hectare in combination with 750 kg lime per hectare increased pod yield. However, this combination is also not recommended because it is not cost-effective. The application of 1000 kg gypsum per hectare in combination with 500 kg lime per hectare increased seed yield and produced sound mature kernel (SMK), whereas the application of 1000 kg gypsum alone per hectare also increased seed yield. This combination is also considered unacceptable due to the high increase in input costs. The application of 750 kg lime per hectare was more effective as an acid ameliorant and led to the improvement of the chemical composition of the soil (increased soil pH), resulting in a higher shoot weight of groundnut. This application also provided the catalyst for stimulating phosphorus production and enhancing the growth of an extensive root system for absorbing water and nutrients. The use of lime in acid soils is highly beneficial because it improves the chemical composition of the soil, ensures the availability of nutrients to plants, serves as an efficient calcium source, and ultimately leads to an improvement in yield. Results show that the application of gypsum at 1000 kg/ha and lime at 500 kg/ha respectively, significantly improved peanut yield and soil pH. The combination of gypsum and lime (500 kg/ha gypsum and 250 kg/ha lime) significantly improved shelling percentage (yield). Based on data on yield, yield components, and soil chemical properties, it is concluded that gypsum is the best calcium source fertilizer for groundnut production in OLM and lime should only be applied on acid soils to attain optimum groundnut yield in the region / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

The use of remote sensing techniques can eliminate the need for extensive sampling in the field, reducing the cost of sampling and increase the accuracy of the results. In this context, the present study had the following objectives: I-evaluate the effectiveness of an optical sensor for determining the nitrogen nutritional status of cotton crop subjected to different doses of N and correlate with the crop yield. II- to determine the electrical conductivity in two fields of classification Oxisols by using a sensor and relate this index with other chemical soil parameters and productivity of corn. Regarding the first objective, the experiment was conducted in the agricultural year of 2012/13 on a Oxisol with the cotton crop. The experimental design was a randomized block design with seven treatments and three replications. Treatments consisted of the following N rates: 0, 45, 90, 130, 150, 180 and 220 kg ha-1 applied at 43 days after sowing (DAS). The vegetation index readings were taken at three different times, corresponding to 63, 75 and 97 DAE with the optical sensor N-Sensor ALS ® (YARA). Concerning the objective II electrical conductivity was evaluated of two areas using the Veris ® 3100 sensor to depths of 0-30 cm and 0-90 cm. The evaluations were conducted in the agricultural year 2012/13, the cultivated culture, in both areas, was the corn. Chemical parameters of the soil and the electrical conductivity were compared by method of multiple regression 'stepwise'. Regarding the first objective, the vegetation index reading by sensor showed high correlation with N rates in three stages evaluated, this correlation was also found with the parameters plant height, dry matter and N absorbed. The highest yield of cotton was achieved with rate of 152 kg ha-1 of N. Regarding the objective II, the EC of Area 1, for 0-30 cm layer, was explained by factors V% and Mg and in the layer of 0-90 cm by SB factor. For Area II, the EC in the 0-30 cm layer, was explained by clay contente, CTCpH7,0 and SB and for 0-90 cm layer by clay content. Increasing productivity of Area 1 showed a quadratic fit with increasing EC at both depths evaluated, in Area 2 increased productivity correlated linearly with increasing EC at both depths. / O uso de técnicas de sensoriamento remoto pode eliminar a necessidade de extensivas amostragens na lavoura diminuindo o custo da amostragem além de aumentar a acurácia dos resultados obtidos. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho teve os seguintes objetivos: I- avaliar a eficácia de um sensor óptico na determinação do estado nutricional nitrogenado na cultura do algodoeiro submetido a diferentes doses de N e correlacionar com a produtividade da cultura. II- determinar a condutividade elétrica em duas áreas de classificação Latossolos, através do uso de sensor e relacionar esse índice com os demais parâmetros químicos do solo e com a produtividade da cultura do milho. Em relação ao objetivo I, o experimento foi conduzido no ano agrícola de 2012/13 em um Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo com a cultura do algodoeiro. O Delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com sete tratamentos e três repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram das seguintes doses de N: 0, 45, 90, 130, 150, 180 e 220 kg ha-1 aplicados aos 43 dias após semeadura (DAS). As leituras de índice de vegetação foram realizadas em três épocas, correspondentes aos 63, 75 e 97 DAE com o sensor óptico N-Sensor ALS® (YARA). Em relação ao objetivo II foi avaliada a condutividade elétrica de duas áreas com uso do sensor Veris® 3100, para as profundidades de 0-30 cm e 0-90 cm. As avaliações foram realizadas no ano agrícola de 2012/13 e a cultura cultivada, em ambas as áreas, foi a do milho. Os parâmetros químicos do solo e a condutividade elétrica foram comparados pelo método de regressão múltipla do tipo stepwise‟. Sobre o objetivo I, a leitura do índice de vegetação do sensor apresentou alta correlação com as doses de N nos três estágios avaliados, essa correlação também foi verificada com os parâmetros altura de planta, massa seca e N absorvido. A maior produtividade da cultura do algodão foi alcançada com a dose de 152 kg ha-1 de N. Com relação ao objetivo II, a CE da Área 1 para a camada de 0-30 cm foi explicada pelos fatores V% e Mg e para a camada de 0-90 cm pelo fator SB. Para a Área II a CE na camada de 0-30 cm foi explicada pela argila, CTCpH7,0 e SB e para a camada de 0-90 cm pelo teor de argila. O aumento da produtividade da Área 1, apresentou ajuste quadrático com o aumento da CE em ambas as profundidades avaliadas, já na Área 2, o aumento da produtividade se correlacionou linearmente com o aumento da CE em ambas as profundidades.