The mixed crop–livestock farming systems of semiarid tropical Kenya are characterised by low livestock feed supply. The contribution of lablab and velvet bean to fodder production in a maize production system was investigated in the eastern region of Kenya. The experiment was run in three cycles, where each cycle consisted of a short legume fallow phase of ~6 months, followed by a maize-cropping phase. At the end of the fallow phase, the legume herbage was incorporated in soil at three levels; 0, 50 and 100% of total DM yield and maize planted. Maize yield from the legume fallow plots was compared with maize grown after natural fallow and maize top-dressed with 40 kg nitrogen/ha and nil nitrogen fertiliser. Overall, herbage DM yield was highest in velvet bean (3.9 t/ha) followed by lablab (3.4 t/ha) and lowest in natural fallow (2.2 t/ha). Mean crude protein from velvet bean was 13.5% of DM, which was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of lablab (8.4% of DM) and natural weedy fallow (3.5% of DM). Maize grain yield following lablab fallow was 38% (3569 kg/ha) and 27% (1810 kg/ha) in short rains (SR) 2002 and SR 2004, respectively, higher than maize succeeding natural fallow. However, maize planted after velvet bean fallow was 43% (3728 kg/ha) and 29.4% (1828 kg/ha) in SR 2002 and SR 2004, respectively, higher than in maize grown after natural fallow. Generally, the highest maize yield among the fallows was recorded in plots where legumes were incorporated in soil at 50% of total DM implying that the other 50% was available for livestock feed. Maize stovers DM yields were highest at the higher (100%) and middle (50%) level of legume incorporation, and yields were more than those from natural weedy fallow. Maize production under the legume fallow system was more profitable than from natural weedy fallows. It was concluded that if lablab and velvet bean are integrated in cropping systems as fallows, they can provide highly nutritious livestock feeds and improve maize yield and are recommended in the maize production systems within semiarid tropical Kenya.
The response of legumes to the application of phosphorus was tested in the upper midland 3 agro-ecological zone in a humic Nitisol at Karurina Location of Embu District in the central Kenya region. The legumes tested were Mucuna pruriens, Canavalia ensiformis, Glycine max, Crotalaria ochroleuca and Lablab purpureus. A split plot design was used in which 17 kg/ha phosphorus was applied to half of the plot and the remainder was planted without any P. Nodulation and biomass assessment were conducted at the respective flowering stages for each of the legumes tested. The results revealed that all legume species tested formed effective nodules at either the tap root or the lateral roots. Crotalaria showed the highest level of nodule formation whereas Canavalia formed one or no nodules per plant. Mucuna showed the highest level (4.13 t/ha) of biomass accumulation while Canavalia gave the lowest (0.56 t/ha) amount of biomass. Addition of phosphorus did not affect nodulation or biomass accumulation in any of the legume species tested.
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