Influence of Farmer-Driven Composting Technology on Below and Above Ground Biology of Common Bean in Western Kenya

ABSTRACT

Composts are rich in nutrients especially carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These nutrients enhance the colonization of plants by beneficial endophytic and rhizosphere microbes. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted on MMUST farm to determine the effect of farmer-produced composts soil biota and above ground pests on bean plant within Western Kenya. five farmer-produced composts with varying plant and animal waste ingredients (FPC1, FPC2, FPC3, FPC4, FPC5), DAP fertilizer and controls. Each of the resulting 14 treatment combinations comprised of twin plots (3 m × 2 m) for the two bean varieties, each having n = 40 plants per variety, spaced at 50 cm × 15 cm, replicated in 3 blocks (24 m × 14 m) in a randomized block design. Rhizobium root nodules, rhizosphere fungal and bacterial populations (CFU 10-g of soil) where higher in the compost-treatments than in DAP, while soil nematode populations were low. Therefore, the present study concluded that farmer-produced composts in Western Kenya improve below and above ground of common bean.