Maize–mucuna rotation: An alternative technology to improve water productivity in smallholder farming systems

cg.contactP.Masikati@cgiar.orgen_US
cg.contributor.centerWorld Agroforestry Center - ICRAFen_US
cg.contributor.centerUniversity of Bonn, Center for Development Research - Uni-Bonn - ZEFen_US
cg.contributor.centerInternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics - ICRISATen_US
cg.contributor.centerCommonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation - CSIROen_US
cg.contributor.crpCGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems - DSen_US
cg.contributor.funderCGIAR System Organization - CGIARen_US
cg.coverage.countryZWen_US
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africaen_US
cg.date.embargo-end-date2018-01-31en_US
cg.identifier.doihttps://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2013.09.003en_US
cg.isijournalISI Journalen_US
cg.issn0308-521Xen_US
cg.journalAgricultural Systemsen_US
cg.subject.agrovocwater productivityen_US
cg.volume123en_US
dc.contributorManschadi, Ahmaden_US
dc.contributorvan Rooyen, Andreen_US
dc.contributorHargreaves, Johnen_US
dc.creatorMasikati, Patriciaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-09T21:34:29Z
dc.date.available2017-01-09T21:34:29Z
dc.description.abstractRain-fed crop production systems in the semi-arid tropics of Zimbabwe are characterized by low water productivity (WP), which is partly attributed to inherent low soil fertility, and further exacerbated by continuous cropping without addition of adequate organic and inorganic fertilizers due to unavailability and high costs. A simulation modeling approach was used to evaluate potential interventions that can be used as entry points to improve crop water productivity. Low-cost interventions that use locally available organic inputs were evaluated using the Agriculture Production Systems Simulator (APSIM). The farmer practice (FP) was compared to interventions comprising manure application (MN) and maize-mucuna rotation (MMR). Their potential effects on crop water productivity, dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) were assessed. Average maize grain water productivity was 0.32, 0.40 and 0.70 kg m-3 under the FP, MN and MMR treatments, respectively, while that of mucuna biomass (Mucuna pruriens) was 1.34 kg m-3. Cropping under the FP and MN treatments showed negative trends in SOC and TN over 30 years, with average losses ranging from 17 to 74 kg ha-1 yr-1 and 6 to 16 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively. In contrast, the MMR treatment showed positive trends in both soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN). The SOC and TN increased by 2.6 to 194 kg ha-1 yr-1 and 6 to 14 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively. According to the simulation results it can be concluded that the MMR treatment can improve the water productivity of smallholder maize systems in the semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe under nutrient-depleted soil conditions and can also contribute to the building up of SOC and TN.en_US
dc.formatPDFen_US
dc.identifierhttp://oar.icrisat.org/7232/en_US
dc.identifierhttps://mel.cgiar.org/reporting/downloadmelspace/hash/7KjtF1Ml/v/41ab4982e9a9ca57a6c68338cbecd7f2en_US
dc.identifier.citationPatricia Masikati, Ahmad Manschadi, Andre van Rooyen, John Hargreaves. (31/1/2014). Maize–mucuna rotation: An alternative technology to improve water productivity in smallholder farming systems. Agricultural Systems, 123, pp. 62-70.en_US
dc.identifier.statusLimited accessen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/5398
dc.languageenen_US
dc.publisherElsevier Massonen_US
dc.rightsCC-BY-NC-4.0en_US
dc.sourceAgricultural Systems;123,(2013) Pagination 62,70en_US
dc.subjectmaize–mucuna rotationsen_US
dc.subjectsmallholder farming systemsen_US
dc.subjectapsimsen_US
dc.subjectMaizeen_US
dc.titleMaize–mucuna rotation: An alternative technology to improve water productivity in smallholder farming systemsen_US
dc.typeJournal Articleen_US
dcterms.available2013-11-05en_US
dcterms.extent62-70en_US
dcterms.issued2014-01-31en_US
mel.impact-factor3.004en_US
mel.sub-typeManuscript-unpublisheden_US

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