dc.contributor.author | Kirungu, Caroline A | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2013-05-09T07:43:58Z | |
dc.date.available | 2013-05-09T07:43:58Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2011 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Master of Science in Agrometeorology | en |
dc.identifier.uri | http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/20570 | |
dc.description.abstract | This study sought to understand the existing trend in selected weather variables and
investigate the effect of these variables on annual yield of sugarcane in the Mumias sugarcane
growing region of Western Kenya. The weather-yield relations were investigated using two
sugarcane varieties CO 421 and CO 945 under same growing conditions at Mumias Sugar
Company nucleus estate in Mumias district. Two weather datasets were used; one comprising
of daily rainfall, temperature and radiation data from 1981 to 2008 and another comprising of
40-year mean monthly data from 1968 to 2008 of the same variables. The yield data set
comprised of yields at field level for the period between 1984 and 2008. Trend analysis for
both the weather and yield data was done using the Mann-Kendall and Sen Statistics. The
influence of different weather-related variables on sugarcane yield was investigated using
correlation and regression analysis.
Analysis of the trends in the observed weather records indicated an increase in the mean
monthly minimum temperature during all the months of the year with the magnitude of
change ranging between 0.05°C and 0.08°C per year. The records also showed an increasing
trend in the mean monthly maximum temperatures which was significant during the months
of July and August with a magnitude of O.03°C for both months. Rainfall records did not
indicate any significant trends. Trend analysis of the yield data showed a general decreasing
trend in the yields in both the varieties, with variety CO 421 showing a slower decline than
CO 945. Analysis on the interaction of the selected weather variables on sugarcane yields in
the two varieties showed that CO 945 was more sensitive to weather variables than CO 421. | en |
dc.description.sponsorship | University of Nairobi | en |
dc.language.iso | en | en |
dc.title | The impacts of weather on sugarcane production in the mumias sugar zone of western Kenya | en |
dc.type | Thesis | en |
local.publisher | Department of meteorology School of physical sciences University of Nairobi | en |