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Photo Contest Results – 2023 

by APNI Editor

THE RESULTS ARE IN! 

Throughout 2023 we have been in search of outstanding examples of crop nutrient deficiency and plant nutrition research or application from Africa. We collected many submissions, which we are very grateful for, and it’s our pleasure to announce our two winners for this inaugural edition of the contest. We also would like to take this opportunity to feature several photos deserving an honourable mention. 

We plan to reopen this contest in the 2024 so look for those details here in Growing Africa, through our website, or social media channels. For more details about the contest and how to submit your entry visit: 

CROP NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY CATEGORY
WINNING ENTRY:  Khalfan Awadhi, Mtua, Tanzania 

Khalfan Awadhi Mtua gave us this vivid example of magnesium deficiency from a papaya orchard (featured on our cover). This deficiency is characterized by distinct yellowing between leaf veins. The orchard, located near Mlingano village, Muheza District, Tanga Region, Tanzania, was established under a ferralsol soil type, which typically have low calcium and magnesium concentrations due to a high degree of weathering.

HONORABLE MENTIONS 

Clockwise Starting Top Left: (1) Aiman Achemrk shot this image of iron deficiency in a maize crop growing near Oulad Bourhmoune (Fkih Ben Salah, Morocco). This deficiency appears as chlorotic leaves with interveinal stripes. (2) Siddu Malakannavar submitted a photo from Nakuru, Kenya of magnesium deficiency in coffee characterized by interveinal chlorosis and prominent green veins on older leaves. (3) Khalfan Awadhi Mtua submitted a nice example of a maize plant growing near Holili, Rombo district, Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania, showing nitrogen deficiency symptoms on the older leaves which have a V-shaped golden yellowing starting from the leaf tips and progresses towards the base. (4) Dominic Mutambu took this image from a farmer’s field in Siaya county, Kenya, featuring the whitish stripes common to zinc deficiency in maize. Zinc deficiency in sub-Sahara African soils is a serious soil, crop, and human health problem that especially impacts children and expectant mothers to health risks.

PLANT NUTRIENT RESEARCH CATEGORY
WINNING ENTRY: Dimitri Ndikuryayo, Bubanza, Burundi 

Dimitri Ndikuryayo took this picture in Bubanza, Burundi province of Bubanza Gihanga commune. Two undergraduate agronomy students are shown working in field plots used in the research on the effect of leguminous nutrients on rice crop rotation profitability. This day they were using a leaf colour chart to assess plant leaf greenness, a parameter that can be related to nitrogen uptake in the plant because of soil N supply. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS 

Clockwise Starting Top left: (1) James Mlanda gave us this photo of a Zai pit taken at Kenyatta University as part of his undergraduate research focusing on reducing water loss to increase crop yields and prevent soil erosion. (2) Gratias Hougni submitted this photo from an on-farm trial initiated under the CocoaSoils program in Nigeria of a farmer applying fertilizer around a 20-year-old cocoa tree after having removed the litter layer. Traditional cocoa farming in Nigeria is done without any fertilizer inputs, leading to soil nutrient mining over time. (3) Siddu Malakannavar provides us with a look at their advanced drip irrigation system at Nakuru, Kenya. Their use of fertigation is a promising approach for synchronizing soil nutrient supply with crop nutrient demand both in terms of time and rate of nutrient application to follow 4R Nutrient Stewardship. (4) Beatrix Namulo Alweendo provides a look at cauliflower biomass sample collection for crop productivity (seed production) under a conservation agriculture system at Lutzville, South Africa, aimed at soil health improvement for sustainable cauliflower seed production.
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