Prof FR Kutu

Head of School: School of Agricultural Sciences
Funso.Kutu@ump.ac.za
013 002 0218
Mbombela; Building 6 Room B001

 

Expertise

Soil Scientist with major in Agronomy

Qualifications

• PhD Agronomy (Soil Science)
• MSc. Agronomy (Soil Science)
• BSc Agriculture Hons in Soil Science

Currently Teaching

• AGRI 2D3 - Pronciples of Agronomy (2^nd year Bachelor of Agriculture students)
• AGMT 471 - Advanced Agricultural Production Management Practices: Field &       Horticultural Crops 

Research Focus Areas

• Cropping systems,
• Nutrient Recycling
• Soil-crop interactions,
• Compost science and utilization,
• Soil health
• Microbial inoculants
• Sustainable land use and management
• Food security

Books and Book Chapters

• Babalola O.O., Olanrewaju O.S., Dias T., Ajilogba C.F., Kutu F.R., Cruz C. 2017. Biological Nitrogen Fixation: The Role of Underutilized Leguminous Plants. In: Panpatte D., Jhala Y., Vyas R., Shelat H. (eds) Microorganisms for Green Revolution. Microorganisms for Sustainability, volume 6, pp. 431-443. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6241-4_20. ISBN 978-981-10-6240-7.
• Aremu B.R., Alori E.T., Kutu R.F., Babalola O.O. 2017. Potentials of Microbial Inoculants in Soil Productivity: An Outlook on African Legumes. In: Panpatte D., Jhala Y., Vyas R., Shelat H. (eds) Microorganisms for Green Revolution. Microorganisms for Sustainability, volume 6, pp 53-75. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6241-4_20. ISBN 978-981-10-6240-7.
• Dada, O.A, Kutu, F.R., Babalola, O.O. and Togun, A.O^. (2020). Promoting biofertilizer utilization for sustainable crop production: Produce quality and human health implications. In: M.A. Badejo and A.O. Togun (eds.). Strategies and Tactics of Sustainable Agriculture in the tropics. STATSAT 3, 37-60. Available online at http://www.environtropica.com/stasat/stasat-volume-3/
• Chinenyenwa Fortune Chukwuneme, Ifeyinwa Monica Uzoh, Funso Raphael Kutu and Olubukola Oluranti Babalola, 2020. Food Sustainability Enhancement: Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria as Key Players in the Alleviation of Drought Stress in Plants. In: Babalola O.O et al. 2020 (eds,). Food Security and Safety: Africans Perspective. Springer Publishers Switzerland. Available online at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50672-8_31. In press.
• Dada O.A., F.R Kutu and S. Mavengahama (2020). Improving crop physio-biochemical efficiency and abiotic resilient crops for alleviating food insecurity in Africa. In: Babalola O.O et al. 2020 (eds,). Food Security and Safety: Africans Perspective. Springer Publishers Switzerland. In press. 

Journal Articles

• Chinenyenwa Fortune Chukwuneme, Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola, Funso Raphael Kutu 2021. Functional diversity of microbial communities in two maize rhizosphere Soils. Rhizosphere 17 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2020.100282.
• Dhlamini Bongiwe; Paumo Hugues; Katata-Seru Lebogang & Funso R Kutu 2020. Sulphate-supplemented NPK nanofertilizer and its effect on maize growth. Journal Materials Research Express 7(9), 1-12. 095011 https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/abb69d.
• Adebayo AR, FR Kutu & ET Sebetha 2020. Growth attributes of water efficiency maize variety as affected by nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant density under different field conditions" Indian Journal of Agricultural Research. DOI: 10.18805/IJARe.A-574.
• Chukwudi UP, Agbo CU, Echezona BC, Eze EI, Kutu FR & S Mavengahama 2020. Variability in morphological, yield and nutritional attributes of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) germplasm in Nigeria. Research on Crops 21(3): 634-642. DOI: 10.31830/2348-7542.2020.099.
• Abidemi R Adebayo, Funso R Kutu & Erick T Sebetha 2020. Data on root system architecture of water efficient maize as affected by different nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant density. Data in Brief. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2020.105561.

Professional Associations and Academic Accolades

• Membership of Professional associations
  • Soil Science Society of South Africa (SSSSA)
  • Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)
  • American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
  • Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN)
  • South Africa Council of Natural Practicing Scientists (Soil Science)
  • Associate Editor-Lesser Agronomy Crops, Agronomy Journal, USA

Engagement Projects

• Chairperson, Mpumalanga Agricultural Research Committee (MARC) in the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs
• Member, Mpumalanga Green Economy Advisory Committee, Department of Economic Development & Tourism.