Agronomic Potentials of Rarely Used Agroforestry Species for Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Exploratory Study
- 20 February 2013
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
- Vol. 44 (11), 1733-1748
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2013.769563
Abstract
Despite significant evidence that green manures from agroforestry species can improve soil fertility, green biomasses from many agroforestry species have not been sufficiently explored. In this study, we determined the suitability of green manures of Tithonia diversifolia, Gliricidia sepium, and Senna spectabilis for smallholder agriculture in Africa. Field trials were established to compare them with mineral fertilizer. The results showed that green manures of the three species were of high quality based on their macronutrient compositions. The effect of the green manures (particularly Tithonia) on both the biomass and fruit yield of okro were comparable and in some cases greater than fertilizer treatments. Total yield response in Tithonia treatment was 61% and 20% greater than the control and fertilizer treatments, respectively. In addition, the okro plants recovered a greater percentage of the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) added as green manure compared to fertilizer-treated plots, which received the greatest N, P, and K inputs.Keywords
This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit:
- Decomposition and nutrient release patterns of the leaf biomass of the wild sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia): a comparative study with four leguminous agroforestry speciesAgroforestry Systems, 2010
- Impact of Gliricidia sepium intercropping on soil organic matter fractions in a maize-based cropping systemAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2010
- Effects of organic and mineral fertilizer inputs on maize yield and soil chemical properties in a maize cropping system in Meru South District, KenyaAgroforestry Systems, 2007
- The long-term effects of a gliricidia–maize intercropping system in Southern Malawi, on gliricidia and maize yields, and soil propertiesAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2006
- Cation exchange capacities of soil organic matter fractions in a Ferric Lixisol with different organic matter inputsAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2003
- Soil microbial community responses to dairy manure or ammonium nitrate applicationsSoil Biology and Biochemistry, 2001
- Organic inputs for soil fertility management in tropical agroecosystems: application of an organic resource databaseAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2001
- Tissue‐to‐solvent ratio and other factors affecting determination of soluble polyphenols in tropical leavesCommunications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 1994
- An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass CSoil Biology and Biochemistry, 1987
- AN EXAMINATION OF THE DEGTJAREFF METHOD FOR DETERMINING SOIL ORGANIC MATTER, AND A PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF THE CHROMIC ACID TITRATION METHODSoil Science, 1934