Effect of alley cropping microclimate and water use on groundnut and maize yield in clay soil
2008
Adlan, M.I.
A study was carried out to investigate the influence of different micrometeorological parameters on the growth and yield of groundnut and maize under alley cropping system. The trial was established at Gezira Research Station (lat 14 deg C: 24 deg C North and longitude 29 deg C _ 33 deg C East) on heavy cracking clay soil (clay content is around 58%), PH is 8.3. It is of low nitrogen, and organic matter (0.02%). The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of modified microclimate in 8-m wide alleys on growth and yield of groundnut and maize. Variations in maximum temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and radiation under the shade of Acacia ampliceps and Acacia stenophylla trees were measured. Groundnut and maize were evaluated for growth and yield performance through laying out sample plots at southern, central and northern part of the alleys and at control plots. There were substantial reductions in wind runs, solar radiation and air temperature, in contrast with the relative humidity which increased in the alleys. The yield of both crops in the alleys significantly (p=0.01) exceeded that of the sole crop due to microclimatic modifications. Yield reduction in maize at the northern alley was fully compensated by high yield increase at southern and central alleys. The results indicated that the competition for high was the major factor contributing in that. It was observed that the crop in the alley perform, better under A.amplicenps- alley with 64% transmitted radiation compared to that under A.stenophylla-alley with 56%.The yield of groundnut increased by 14% and 6% in the A.ampliceps-alley and A.stenophylla-ally, respectively. On the other hand, that of maize increased by 27% and 15% in the A.ampliceps-alley A.stenophylla-alley, respectively. In additional, water applied for both A.ampliceps and A.stenophylla alleycroped with groundnut and maize was measured. Water consumption differed (p=0.001) between alley cropping and mono-cropping systems. Alley cropped plots consumed less water (571m3/ha) than the control (805m3/ha). Water was saved in the ampliceps-alley by 34 and 33% and in stenophylla-alley by 24 and 24% for groundnut and maize, respectively
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