N utilization efficiency of African indigenous vegetables

Poor soil fertility and associated nutrient limitation for crop growth are important constraints in smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa, whereby in most farming systems nitrogen (N) limitation is of particular importance. One strategy to cope with low soil N availability is cultivation of N efficient plant species, e.g. species which efficiently acquire N from soil (high uptake efficiency), and/ or efficiently utilize internal plant N for biomass production (high utilization efficiency). In this project plant traits associated with uptake and utilization efficiency are compared in African indigenous vegetables, which play an important role for food security in small holder farming systems in Kenya.