Annual legumes for improving soil fertility in the smallholder maize-based systems in Zimbabwe.

Hikwa, D.; Waddington, S.R.

doi:10.4314/tzsa.v72i2.18498

Cited by 2 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Haulms are then fed to livestock. The on-farm results con®rm reports by Shumba (1983;1986), Shumba et al (1990) and Hikwa and Waddington (1998) of the far poorer performance of groundnut crops on smallholder ®elds in Zimbabwe than on research stations. Some of the factors mentioned in those earlier studies, particularly the low plant densities and lack of basal fertilizer, were partly responsible.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Annual-legume rotations remain a class of technology with great potential to address soil infertility and improve the sustainability of smallholder cropping systems in southern Africa (Snapp et al, 1998;Hikwa and Waddington, 1998). However, because of the poor performance of groundnut on Zimbabwean smallholdings and the general diculty of improving performance substantially through realistically aordable management and inputs, the search must continue for additional, more robust grain legumes that farmers want to grow for food and income (Giller et al, 1998;Hikwa and Waddington, 1998). In this regard, promiscuous soybean is generating great interest among smallholders as a cash and food crop (Pompi et al, 1998;Mpepereki et al, 2000).…”

Section: Alternative Legumes and Inputsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this regard, promiscuous soybean is generating great interest among smallholders as a cash and food crop (Pompi et al, 1998;Mpepereki et al, 2000). Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens var utilis), a consistent producer of above-ground biomass on sandy soils in northern Zimbabwe (Hikwa and Waddington, 1998), presents plant breeders with a great opportunity to turn this into a favoured grain legume by reducing the amounts of L-dopa in the seed. Nevertheless, in the current socio-economic situation in southern Africa it is becoming less likely that smallholder farmers can spontaneously acquire the inputs needed to grow any of these legumes well.…”

Section: Alternative Legumes and Inputsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With favourable management, including incorporation of groundnut residues into the sandy soils that predominate in Zimbabwe, groundnut in the rotation can double the yield of the following maize, particularly when that maize is grown with little or no added N (Mukurumbira, 1985;McDonagh et al, 1993;Hikwa and Waddington, 1998). There is a growing realization, however, that on most smallholder ®elds, where the grain and biomass yields from grain legumes are often poor and (as in Zimbabwe) where farmers remove from the ®eld both the legume grain and most of the legume haulms, there may be little or no net N contribution to the soil by the legume and, hence, little improvement in the yield of subsequent maize (MacColl, 1989;Peoples and Craswell, 1992;Hikwa and Waddington, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Productivity and Profitability of Maize + groundnut Rotations Compared With Continuous Maize on Smallholder Farms in Zimbabwe

Waddington¹,

Karigwindi²

2001

Ex. Agric.

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Experiments to assess the yield and economic performance of a maize-groundnut rotation compared with continuous maize (both when inorganic fertilizer was applied to maize and when not), were conducted under management by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe over six years. The experiment was planted on-station near Harare and at six smallholder sites in northeast Zimbabwe, predominantly on sandy soils. Fertilizer rates and practices were those used by farmers, as described in surveys. On-farm grain yields from continuous maize without fertilizer were generally in the range 0.5±0.8 t ha 71 over ®ve years. Maize yield responses to inorganic fertilizer on smallholder farms were highly variable, but moderate (up to 29 kg grain per kg N) with adequate rainfall. With no inorganic fertilizer applied to maize, the on-station groundnut crop (producing 0.260±0.355 t ha 71 shelled grain) almost doubled the grain yield of the following maize crop (in 1995±96), increasing output from 2.46 t ha 71 to 4.61 t ha 71 . Where inorganic fertilizer was applied to maize, the rotation produced even more additional maize grain (an increase of 2.93 t ha 71 ). Up to 0.50 t ha 71 extra grain was obtained in the second year of maize following groundnut (1996±97). With inorganic fertilizer, groundnut improved the grain yield of following maize crops at only two of ®ve on-farm sites. Without fertilizer, the groundnut rotation increased maize grain yields at ®ve on-farm sites by an average of only 0.28 t ha 71 . For the on-station groundnut and two subsequent years with maize, discounted net bene®ts (DNBs) over cash costs (seed and fertilizer) were greater for the rotation than for continuous maize, irrespective of whether or not inorganic fertilizer was applied. When labour costs were added, continuous maize plus fertilizer showed better returns than did the rotation, while the returns for the rotation and continuous maize without fertilizer were almost the same. On-farm the rotation was far less pro®table. At only two sites, DNBs over cash costs were higher for the rotation whereas DNBs over all costs (including labour valued at a local casual-worker wage) were always negative or close to zero. At three sites, it was far more pro®table to grow continuous maize, especially with fertilizer. These ®ndings of low groundnut yield, marginal to zero pro®tability, and high labour cost of groundnut-maize rotations, support and explain the general trend by smallholder farmers to reduce groundnut area in Zimbabwe.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Alternative Legumes and Inputsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Alternative Legumes and Inputsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Productivity and Profitability of Maize + groundnut Rotations Compared With Continuous Maize on Smallholder Farms in Zimbabwe

Waddington¹,

Karigwindi²

2001

Ex. Agric.

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“…Similarly, several studies have highlighted high P uptake and maize yields following addition of N and other macroand micronutrients to the soil [24,[82][83][84][85]. Phosphorus is known to be critical in root development and establishment [86] particularly for legumes that can make their own N from biological fixation. However, cereals cannot make their own nitrogen; as such fertilizers or soils must supply both N and P, and other nutrients to support crop development [82,[87][88][89].…”

Section: The Effect P On Maize Growth and P Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing phosphorus rate alters microbial dynamics and soil available P in a Lixisol of Zimbabwe

Tauro,

Nezomba,

Mtambanengwe

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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Soil phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major challenge to food security in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, including Zimbabwe, where farmers largely depend on local organic nutrient resources as fertilizer in the production of crops. Soil microorganisms can contribute to synchronous availability of soil P to plants through regulating immobilization and mineralization cycles of soil P pools but their activity may be influenced by antecedent soil P, P fertilizer application regimes and P uptake by plants. Using soils collected from plots where Crotalaria juncea (high quality), Calliandra calothyrsus (medium quality), cattle manure (variable quality), maize stover and Pinus patula sawdust (both low quality) were applied at the rate of 4 t C ha-1 with 16 kg P ha-1 at the start of every season over 16 seasons. A pot study was conducted to evaluate the influence of increasing inorganic P fertilizer rates (26 and 36 kg P ha-1) on soil microbial dynamics, soil P pools, and maize P uptake. Results indicated that nineteen (19) fungal and forty-two (42) bacterial colonies were identified over the study period. Fungi dominated bacteria on day one, with Aspergillus niger showing a 30–98% abundance that depends on organic resource quality. Overall, microbial diversity peaked activity characterized succession on day 29, which coincided with a significant (P<0.05) increase in P availability. Increasing P rate to 26 kg P ha-1 amplified the microbial diverse peak activity under medium-high quality resources while under the control the peak emerged earlier on day 15. Mucor and Bacillus had peak abundances on day 43 and 57, respectively, across treatments regardless of P rates. Treatment and P rate had a significant (P<0.01) effect on microbial P. Bacteria were more responsive to added P than fungi. Increasing P to 36 kg P ha-1 also stimulated an earlier microbial diverse peak activity under maize stover on day 15. Addition of P alone, without supplying complementary nutrients such as N, did not have a positive effect on maize P uptake. Farmers need to co-apply medium-high quality organic resources with high fertilizer P rates to increase microbial diversity, plant available P and maize growth on sandy soils (Lixisols). Our results suggest that there is a need to reconsider existing P fertilizer recommendations, currently pegged at between 26 and 30 kg P ha-1, for maize production on sandy soils as well as develop new fertilizer formulations to intensify crop production in Zimbabwe.

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Annual legumes for improving soil fertility in the smallholder maize-based systems in Zimbabwe.

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Productivity and Profitability of Maize + groundnut Rotations Compared With Continuous Maize on Smallholder Farms in Zimbabwe

Productivity and Profitability of Maize + groundnut Rotations Compared With Continuous Maize on Smallholder Farms in Zimbabwe

Increasing phosphorus rate alters microbial dynamics and soil available P in a Lixisol of Zimbabwe

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