On-Farm Evaluation of Multipurpose Tree/Shrub Species for Sustaining Productivity in Alley Cropping

Authors

  • Abrham Tezera Gessesse Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center
  • Hailie Shiferaw Wollea Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18034/mjmbr.v2i1.385

Keywords:

Alley cropping, Agroforestry, Teff (EragrostisTeff) yield, MPTs

Abstract

Alley cropping is a system in which strips (alleys) of annual crops are grown between rows of trees or shrubs, resembling hedges. Alley cropping is one of promising agro forestry practice to sustain productivity in highly populated areas where landholding sizes are very small and inorganic fertilizer use is very low. This study has been carried out with the aim of evaluating the effect of selected multipurpose tree/shrub species on yield performance of Teff (EragrostisTeff) through green manure application of hedgerow planting. Four different multipurpose tree/shrub species (Sesbania sesban, Croton macrostaychus, Cacia species and Cajuns cajun) seedlings were used and planted in two rows within the space of 8m between avenue and 0.25m within avenue and the trial was designed as Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Leaf biomass was incorporated to the soil in early July (1-2 weeks before sowing) as green manure. At each plot 15m2 (3m x 5m) areas were laid for Teff (EragrostisTeff) grain and straw yield parameter measurements. The result shows that significantly higher grain and straw biomass yield of Teff (EragrostisTeff) were obtained through application of Sesbania sesban and Croton macrostaychus green manure as compare to Cajuns cajun and Cassia species. Leaf nutrient concentrations of N and P were found higher in Sesbania sesban than the rest of tree/shrub species. For this reason, farmers are advised to use Sesbania sesban and Croton macrostaychus species for Teff production in alley cropping agroforestry system.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • Abrham Tezera Gessesse, Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center

    Senior Researcher, Natural Resource Management, Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center, ETHIOPIA

  • Hailie Shiferaw Wollea, Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center

    Researcher, Forestry, Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center, ETHIOPIA

References

Ahmed, R. (2014). Performance Evaluation of Draught Animal Power Cultivator. Asian Journal Of Applied Science And Engineering, 3(8), 111-117. doi:10.15590/ajase/2014/v3i8/54949 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15590/ajase/2014/v3i8/54949

Akonde TP, Leihner DE and Steinmuller N (1996).Alley cropping on an ultisol in sub-humid, Benin. Part I: Long-term effects on maize, cassava and tree productivity. Agroforestry Systems 24:1–12

Chamshama S. A. O, Mugasha G, Kløvstad A., Haveraaen O. and Maliondo S. M. S, 1998. Growth and yield of maize alley cropped with Leucaenaleucocephala and Faidherbiaalbida in Morogoro, Tanzania. Agroforestry Systems 40: 215–225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006025005441

Lawson TL and Kang BT 1990. Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light. Agriculture for Metrology 52: 347–357 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-1923(90)90091-J

Legesse N., 2002. Erythrinabrucei: Propagation attributes, leaf nutrient concentration and impact on barley grain yield. Agroforestry Systems56: 39–46

Leinhner DE, Ernst-Schaeben R, Akonde’ TP and Steinmuller N 1996.Alley cropping on an ultisol in subhumid Benin. II: Changes in crop physiology and tree crop competition. Agroforestry system 34: 13–25 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00129629

Lulandala LLL, Munishi PKT and Maliondo SMS (1995).Effect of spacing and management regime on Leucaena fodder yield and nutrient removals in alley cropping systems in Tanzania.International Tree Crops Journal 8: 129–137 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01435698.1995.9752939

Mesfes T., 2003. Participatory forestry in practice (literature review) Wondo Genet College of forestry abstract of thesis and research works, Debub University Ethiopia.

Nair P.K.R., 1993. An introduction to agroforestry. Dordrecht, Netherlands, Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Owino, F., Hayombe, P., & Agong, S. (2014). Spatial Planning Interventions and their Implications on Conservation of Urban Green Spaces. Asian Journal Of Applied Science And Engineering, 3(8), 61-74. doi:10.15590/ajase/2014/v3i8/54485 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15590/ajase/2014/v3i8/54485

Stephen R.G liessman, 2000. Agro ecosystem sustainability: Developing practical strategy. CRC.Baca Raton London. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420041514

Young A., 1989. Agroforestry for soil conservation.ICRAF (international center for Research in Agroforestry). Nairobi, Kenya.

-- 0 --

Published

2015-06-30

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2015): January - June Issue

Section

Peer-reviewed Article

License

The CC BY-NC 4.0 license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge & be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.
|| View License Deed ||
|| View Legal Code ||
 
Publishing paper with the "Malaysian Journal of Medical and Biological Research" means that the author or authors retain the copyright in the paper.
This journal is granted an exclusive noncommercial reuse license by the author(s), but the author(s) are able to put the paper onto a website, distribute it to colleagues, give it to students, use it in your thesis, etc, so long as the use is not directed at a commercial advantage or toward private monetary gain.
The author(s) can reuse the figures and tables and other information contained in their paper published by Malaysian Journal of Medical and Biological Research in future papers or work without having to ask anyone for permission, provided that the figures, tables or other information that is included in the new paper or work properly references the published paper as the source of the figures, tables or other information, and the new paper or work is not direct at a private monetary gain or commercial advantage.

How to Cite

Gessesse, A. T. ., & Wollea, H. S. . (2015). On-Farm Evaluation of Multipurpose Tree/Shrub Species for Sustaining Productivity in Alley Cropping . Malaysian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 2(1), 31-34. https://doi.org/10.18034/mjmbr.v2i1.385
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC