Effect of Pigeon Pea-Groundnut Intercropping System on Selected Soil Properties

Abstract

On average Malawi is losing of 40 kg N ha -1 and 6.6 kg P ha -1 annually. Additionally, nutrient use efficiency (NUE) is low as a result of declining levels of soil organic matter (SOM) and associated deficiencies of other macro and micronutrients. This is usually below 20 kg maize grain kg -1 of nutrients applied. To investigate on the possibility of improving NUE a study was initiated in the 2011/12 cropping season with a parallel trial mounted along side in the second season, both were laid in a randomized complete block design replicated three times. The trials involved planting of pigeon pea as monocultures or as intercrops. The main trial had eight treatments while the parallel trial had ten treatments. After the first season legume biomass in some plots of the main trial was buried into the soil. Soil characterization was conducted before treatment application in the first and second year. Data were analyzed using genstat and subjected to analysis of variance at 5% level of confidence. Means were separated using the least significant difference. Generally, the soil chemical characteristics for soil samples collected in all the

Soil Morphology, Physico - Chemical Properties and Classification of Typical Soils of Mwala District, Kenya

“…These coarse textures control the variability of nutrient storage capacity, limit the water holding capacity and roots may grow under sub-optimal soil water due to water deficits [24]. The textural classes observed coupled with the low CEC (<12 cmol (+)/kg) suggest potential leacheability of nutrient elements especially nitrogen as nitrate [25,26]. The sand content decreased gradually with depth as the proportion of finer particles increased, partially due to illuviation and argillation in the Bt horizons [27].…”

“…The NH 4 + originated from the surface applied nitrogenous fertilizers (DAP 18:46:0) as a soil fertility strategy by the farmers over the four cropping seasons [43]. The low soil pH values suggest possible low availability of both macro and micro nutrients for uptake by crops [26,28]. The basic cations (K, Na) decreased while Ca and Mg increased and can be attributed to the pH.…”

Biological nitrogen fixation by pigeon pea and cowpea in the doubled-up and other cropping systems on the Luvisols of Central Malawi

“…) and pigeon pea-soybean (53.6 kg N ha -1 ) whereas Phiri et al (2014) reported soil fertility improvement due to pigeon pea-groundnut intercrop. However, not much has been done to evaluate quantities of biologically fixed N under doubled-ups involving most of the recent legume varieties and information on pigeon pea-cowpea doubledup BNF is scanty.…”