Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T16:07:37.958Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Studies on Maize (Zea mays) at Bunda, Malawi. II. Yield in Short Rotations with Legumes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

D. MacColl
D. MacColl
Affiliation:
University of Malawi, Bunda College, PO Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Maize was grown for six years on two soil series in annual rotation with groundnuts, soyabean, lab-lab and sunflowers, and for up to four years after two year crops of pigeonpea. Nitrogen left by the annual legumes was estimated to vary from 0.0 to 52.2 kg ha−1 depending on year, soil and species. Summed over three successive maize crops, nitrogen left by two year crops of pigeonpea varied from 23.5 to 109.6 kg ha−1. Vigorous vegetative growth and low seed yield in the legume were associated with increased residual nitrogen. Groundnuts left more nitrogen on the more fertile soil. High rainfall at the beginning of the maize cropping season was associated on one soil series with the complete disappearance of residual nitrogen from the immediately preceding legume crop.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , July 1989 , pp. 367 - 374
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Giri, G. & De, R. (1980). Effect of preceding grain legumes on growth and nitrogen uptake of dryland pearl millet. Plant and Soil 56: 459–464.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henzell, E. F. & Vallis, I. (1977). Transfer of nitrogen between legumes and other crops. In Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Farming Systems in the Tropics (Edited by Ayanaba, A. and Dart, P. J.). Chichester, UK: John Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Jones, M. J. (1974). Effects of previous crop on yield and nitrogen response of maize at Samaru, Nigeria. Experimental Agriculture 10: 273–279.Google Scholar
Lowole, M. W. (1985). Soils of Bunda College of Agriculture Estate. Soil Survey Unit, Department of Agricultural Research, Lilongwe. File Number D5/2/12.Google Scholar
Lungu, N. F. (1973). Rotations and soil fertility. Research Circular 10/72, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lilongwe, Malawi.Google Scholar
MacColl, D. (1989) Studies on maize (Zea mays) at Bunda, Malawi. I. Yield in relation to rainfall. Experimental Agriculture 25: 357–366.CrossRefGoogle Scholar