Influence of Tephrosia vogelii fallow-maize rotation on soil fertility regeneration and maize yield in sub-humid climate of eastern Tanzania
2005
Mkangwa, C.Z.(Department of Soil Science, North Carolina State University) | Semoka, J.M.R.(Department of Forest Biology, Morogoro, Tanzania) | Maliondo, S.M.S.(Department of Forest Biology, Morogoro, Tanzania)
Afield experiment was conducted on acidic Nand P deficient F erralsol to determine the effect of T vogelii fallow-rotation with maize on soil fertility regeneration. The experiment was conducted sequentially, with 22 months old T. vogelii fallows followed by maize cropping and T. vogelii relay in some treatments. The 22 months old T. vogelii fallows were applied with 0 or 80 kg P ha-l, while the following maize crop was applied with T. vogelii biomass or sulphate of ammonia alone as N sources, co-applied with TSP or Minjingu PR. The relayed T vogelii was left to grow for 11 months and then uprooted. Soil pH and exchangeable Ca were measured at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Fallow period and soil P status influenced T. vogelii fallow biomass and N accumulations. Tephrosia vogelii litter dry matter was increased by 129 % and N accumulation by 206 % due to application of80 kg P ha-1. Incorporation of accumulated litter and foliar biomass alone into the soil increased soil pH only slightly and exchangeable Ca significantly. Maize yields were increased by 100 % subsequent to T. vogelii fallow and by 100 % in T. vogelii fallow treated with MPR, indicating that medium duration T vogelii fallows-in rotation with maize can substantially regenerate soil fertility in acidic, Nand P deficient Ferralsol in sub-humid climate of eastern Tanzania.
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