Rapid decay of dolichos [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet] residue leads to loss of nitrogen benefit to succeeding maize (Zea mays L.)
E. K. Cheruiyot A B , S. M. Mwonga A , L. M. Mumera A , J. K. Macharia A , I. M. Tabu A and J. G. Ngugi AA Egerton University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Crop, Horticulture and Soil Sciences, PO Box 536, Njoro, Kenya.
B Corresponding author. Email: cheruiyotke@yahoo.com
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47(8) 1000-1007 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA06146
Submitted: 1 July 2006 Accepted: 7 February 2007 Published: 16 July 2007
Abstract
The traditional natural fallows are no longer practicable in sub-Saharan Africa and technologies to replace them are being popularised through management of short fallow systems. Dolichos [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet] is among the legumes used to improve such fallows and its residues are incorporated to improve yield of succeeding cereal. Two field studies were conducted to determine dolichos residue mineralisation schedule and response of maize to timing of the residue incorporation, to establish if the current residue incorporation practice maximises nutrient benefit to succeeding cereal. Dolichos residue was applied at 2 t/ha in litterbags, buried in the field at 15-cm depth and retrieved after 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 weeks, and the remaining debris analysed for loss of weight, N, P and K. A parallel split-plot experiment was set up to determine response of maize to time of residue incorporation, with or without fertiliser nitrogen supplementation. The main plot treatments were nitrogen fertiliser applied at 0, 30 and 60 kg/ha at sixth fully opened leaf in maize. The subplot treatments were residue management regimes, which included four residue incorporation times of 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks before sowing maize, residue removal off the field, residue mulched on surface and traditional weedy fallow. Results show rapid loss of N, with 50% being released within the first 2–4 weeks after burying. Residue incorporated at 2 and 4 weeks before sowing improved maize yield, while residue removal off-field reduced yield comparably with the traditional weedy fallow. However, there were no statistical differences among the timing of the dolichos residue incorporation. These results reflect poor synchrony of mineralised N and uptake by succeeding maize as currently practiced and suggest residue incorporation closer to sowing maize to benefit the cereal.
Additional keywords: nutrient release, nutrient uptake.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the International Foundation for Science, Stockholm, Sweden, through grant no. C/3465–1 to the first author, in collaboration with Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya. We appreciate kind permission by Tea Research Foundation of Kenya to use their laboratory facility for part of plant tissue analysis. We thank Mrs Gitau, a farmer in Mangu, for providing land for this work and also appreciate the kind assistance of Mrs Leah Mungara, Agricultural Extension worker, for useful linkage with farmers in Mangu.
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