Enhancing Climate Resilience of Rain-Fed Potato Through Legume Intercropping and Silicon Application
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Date
2020
Authors
Nyawade, Shadrack
Gitari, Harun I.
Karanja, Nancy N.
Gachene, Charles K. K.
Schulte-Geldermann, Elmar
Sharma, Kalpana
Parker, Monica L.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Abstract
A large portion of sub-Saharan Africa is situated in belts of uncertain rainfall and are
characterized by low soil fertility with limited capacity to adapt to andmitigate the impacts
of climate change. A field study was conducted in the semi-humid potato-growing belt
of Kenya to test the effect of legume intercropping and water soluble silicon (orthocilicic
acid) on soil erosion, and use efficiency of light and water. Potato (Solanum tuberosum
L.) was grown singly and intercropped with dolichos (Lablab purpureus L.) or hairy vetch
(Vicia sativa L.). Each cropping system was subjected to granular water-soluble silicon
(Si) amendment at two rates [2.5 kg Si ha−1 (+Si) vs. 0 kg Si ha−1 (–Si)]. Plants receiving
Si maintained significantly higher (p < 0.05) percent relative leaf water content (62–89%
vs. 52–72% in controls) and exhibited higher concentrations of proline (1.99–2.91 vs.
1–1.19 umol g−1), soluble carbohydrates (28–59 vs. 10–28 umol g−1) and electrolyte
conductance (1,409–3,903 vs. 746–2,307mS cm−1). Legume intercropping enhanced
groundcover establishment and reduced soil and nutrient losses by 45–80% compared
with sole potato. Crop yields were 2–3-fold greater in intercropping relative to sole potato
and were significantly greater in treatments subjected to Si application. Land equivalent
ratios were above unity in intercropping but less than unity in sole potato, and were
8–20% increased by Si application. Use efficiency of water (5.99–9.09 Kg ha−1 m−3) and
light (1.98–2.98 g MJ−1) were significantly greater under legume intercropping compared
with sole potato (1.13–3.23 Kg ha−1 m−3 and 0.77–0.98 g MJ−1, respectively) and
increased with Si application. Integrative use of Si and legume intercropping presents
the smallholder farmers an opportunity to increase productivity of potato while enhancing
resource use efficiency and soil fertility in the semi-humid tropics.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Climate change adaptation, Crop water productivity, Legume intercropping, Silicon, Smallholder potato farmers, Soil conservation
Citation
Nyawade, S., Gitari, H. I., Karanja, N. N., Gachene, C. K., Schulte-Geldermann, E., Sharma, K., & Parker, M. L. (2020). Enhancing climate resilience of rain-fed potato through legume intercropping and silicon application. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 4, 202.