Growth and yield of maize alley cropped with Leucaena leucocephala and Faidherbia albida in Morogoro, Tanzania
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Date
1998
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kluwer Academic Publishers
Abstract
This study examined the effect of alley cropping of Leucaena leucocephala and Faidherbia albida on wood biomass, maize grain yield and soil nitrogen status. The treatments were: trees planted alone at 1 × 5 m spacing; trees intercropped with maize and a sole maize crop. Mulch biomass averaged 6.18 and 0.97 t ha−1 for L. leucocephala and F. albida, respectively. Corresponding wood production was 1.71 and 1.11 t ha−1. Both total N and inorganic N (NO
−
3
–N plus
+
4
–N) were higher under F. albida and lowest under L. leucocephala. Similarly, foliar N concentration in maize was higher in plots intercropped with F. albida and least in L. leucocephala intercropping. Maize grain yield was little affected by the tree intercrop as competition for resources was reduced through periodic pruning and clean weeding. There was no gain in maize grain yield due to the presence of L. leucocephala and F. albida. These results suggest that alley cropping in Gario is justified for wood production but not for increasing maize grain yield.
Description
Keywords
foliar nitrogen concentration, mulch biomass, soil nitrogen status, wood biomass