Controlling soil erosion in smallholder potato farming systems using legume intercrops

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dc.contributor.authorNyawade, Shadrack O.
dc.contributor.authorGachene, Charles K. K.
dc.contributor.authorKaranja, Nancy
dc.contributor.authorGitari, Harun I.
dc.contributor.authorSchulte-Geldermann, Elmar
dc.contributor.authorParker, Monica L.
dc.date.accessioned2019-08-06T06:30:58Z
dc.date.available2019-08-06T06:30:58Z
dc.date.issued2019
dc.descriptionResearch Articleen_US
dc.description.abstractSoil and nutrient losses due to soil erosion are pronounced in potato growing areas of East Africa due largely to the rugged topography and high soil disturbance associated with potato cultivation. This study intercropped potato (SolanumtuberosumL.)with three grain legumes: lablab bean (Lablab purperous L.), garden pea (Pisumsativa L.) and climber bean(Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in runoff plots and assessed their impact on soil and nutrient losses in central Kenya highlands. Bare plots and sole potato stands were included as controls. Vegetal cover was measured at different potato growth stages while runoff and soil loss were quantified at every runoff generating event and used for nutrient analyses. Yieldswere expressed as potato equivalents (PEY) at the end of each season. Mean cumulative sediment yield decreased from 169 t/ ha in sole potato plots to 50–83 t/ ha in potato-legume intercropping, representing a reduction of 51–70%. The eroded sediment exported in large quantity the SOC (16.6–39.5 kg C ha−1 yr−1), N (5.5–29.8 kg N ha−1 yr−1), P (3.9–16.4 kg P ha−1 yr−1) and K (5.2– 14.6 kg K ha−1 yr−1) and were consistently higher in sole potato plots relative to potato-legume intercropping. These losses occurred mainly at potato emergence following fertilizer application. Stronger associations of sediment nutrient enrichments was found with the micro-aggregates (250–50 μm) than with themacro-aggregates (N250 μm) pointing to the different degree of nutrient mobilization and distribution in eroded sediment. The PEY were significantly greater in potato-lablab bean systemthan in sole potato,while intercroppingwith garden pea and climber bean showed similar PEY to that of sole potato, suggesting that potato-lablab system may be preferred by the smallholder farmers. These results justify the need to intercrop potato with indeterminate legume intercrops, a strategy that must be done in a way guaranteeing high yield stability to the smallholder farmers.en_US
dc.identifier.citationGeoderma Regional 17 (2019) e00225en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/19587
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherElsevier B.V.en_US
dc.subjectGrain legume intercropsen_US
dc.subjectHUMIC NITISOLSen_US
dc.subjectNutrient lossesen_US
dc.subjectRunoffen_US
dc.subjectSoil erosionen_US
dc.subjectSoil lossen_US
dc.titleControlling soil erosion in smallholder potato farming systems using legume intercropsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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