Biomass production and maize under a tree-based improved fallow of sesbania and pigeonpea
1998
Nyakanda, C. | Mariga, I.K. | Dzowela, B.H. | Murwira, H.
Improved fallows, using appropriate trees of shrubs, have been observed to substantially increase the yields of subsequent maize crops over a period of one to two years. Use of improved fallows has therefore been proposed as an approach to increasing soil productivity, particulary on smallholder farms where inadequate crop residues are returned to the soil and procument of inorganic fertilizers is difficult. However, due to limited land area for cultivation, there is need to reduce the duration of fallow by establishing them uder staple crops, or increase the performance of established fallows. In the study, when improved fallows of sebania and pigeonpea were estblished under maize in the first year of a two-year fallow period, neither maize yield nor fallow biomass was affected. Fallowing for two years gave significantly larger maize yields than fallowing for one year but there were no differences between either the two species or their mixure.
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