Enhancement of food productivity using leguminous shrubs in the Eastern highlands of Kenya
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Date
2003
Authors
Mugendi, D.N.
Mucheru-Muna, M.
Mugwe, J. N.
Bationo, A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Declining soil productivity is a major challenge facing smallholder farmers in eastern highlands of Kenya. This
decline is caused by continuous cultivation of soils without adequate addition of external inputs in form of manures and
fertilizers. A study was initiated in 1992 to evaluate the feasibility of using two leguminous shrubs Calliandria
(Calliandra
calothyrsus
) and Leucaenia
(
Leucaena leucocephala
) for improving soil productivity. The shrubs were evaluated in alley
cropping and biomass transfer systems. Over the 11 years of study, calliandra and leucaena biomass transfer with half
recommended rate of inorganic fertiliser treatments gave the best average maize yields of 3.2 t ha
-1
. On the other hand
calliandra alley cropped with prunings removed treatment recorded the lowest maize yield of 1.2 t ha
-1
. Though treatments
with calliandra biomass transfer had similar yields compared to those of leucaena biomass transfer, all the treatments that
were leucaena alley cropped did better than calliandra alley cropped treatments both with prunings incorporated and
prunings removed. These long-term results indicate that biomass transfer system of these leguminous shrubs is a more
feasible option as opposed to alley cropping in the region.
Description
Keywords
Continuous cultivation, biomass transfer, cropping systems, Zea may
Citation
African Crop Science Conference Proceedings, Vol. 6. 581-586