eprintid: 4131
rev_number: 18
eprint_status: archive
userid: 30
dir: disk0/00/00/41/31
datestamp: 2011-11-19 05:38:17
lastmod: 2011-11-19 05:38:17
status_changed: 2011-11-19 05:38:17
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
contact_email: Library-ICRISAT@CGIAR.ORG
item_issues_count: 0
creators_name: Nyamadzawo, G
creators_name: Nyamugafata, P
creators_name: Wuta, M
creators_name: Nyamangara, J
icrisatcreators_name: Nyamangara, J
affiliation: Bindura University of Science Education(Bindura)
affiliation: University of Zimbabwe(Harare)
affiliation: ICRISAT(Bulawayo)
country: Zimbabwe
title: Maize yields under coppicing and non coppicing fallows in a fallow–maize rotation system in central Zimbabwe 

ispublished: pub
subjects: s2.6
full_text_status: restricted
keywords: Fallows, Coppices, No tillage, Conventional tillage, Soil moisture 


note: We thank ICRAF for the facilities at Domboshawa experimental site. We are grateful for funding given to the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, University of Zimbabwe by the European Union (IMPALA Project No. ICA4-CT2000-30011) and ICRAF’s ANAFE Scholarship fund.

abstract: Fallowing can improve crop yields as a result of improved soil fertility and nutrient status. The objective of this work was to determine the effects of fallows and pruning regimes in coppicing fallows on soil moisture and maize yields under conventional tillage (CT) and no tillage (NT). Fallows that were evaluated were coppicing Acacia angustissima, non coppicing Sesbania sesban, natural fallow (NF) and continuous maize. In 2000/2001 season, maize yields were significantly different (P < 0.05) among treatments and were; 1.8, 1.2, 0.7 and 0.5 tonnes per hectare (t ha−1) under CT, while under NT yields were 1.3, 0.8, 0.7 and 0.2 t ha−1 for A. angustissima, maize, S. sesban and NF plots respectively. In 2001/2002 season, yields decreased in the order S. sesban > continuous maize > NF > A. angustissima, for both CT and NT. The 2-week pruning regime had significantly higher maize yields when compared to the 1 and 3 week pruning regime during the 2002/2003 cropping season. For the three seasons, CT had significantly higher yields than NT. A. angustissima had significantly higher mean available water at suctions <33 kPa for the 0–25 cm depth when compared to other fallow treatments. The bulk of the available water (47–80%) was retained at suction <33 kPa for all treatments and depths. There were no treatment differences in water retention at suctions >33 kPa for all treatments. It was concluded that improved fallowing increased yields when compared to NF. However, in coppicing fallows competition for water can result in reduced yields when there is rainfall deficiency, thus the need for pruning to manage the competition.
date: 2011
date_type: published
publication: Agroforestry Systems
publisher: Springer Netherlands
pagerange: 1-14
refereed: TRUE
issn: 1572-9680
official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10457-011-9453-9 
related_url_url: http://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?as_q=%22Maize+yields+under+coppicing+and+non+coppicing+fallows+in+a+fallow%E2%80%93maize+rotation+system+in+central+Zimbabwe%22&num=10&btnG=Search+Scholar&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_occt=title&as_sauthors=&as_publication=
related_url_type: author
funders: European Union-University of Zimbabwe
funders: ICRAF-ANAFE 
citation:   Nyamadzawo, G and Nyamugafata, P and Wuta, M and Nyamangara, J  (2011) Maize yields under coppicing and non coppicing fallows in a fallow–maize rotation system in central Zimbabwe.  Agroforestry Systems.  pp. 1-14.  ISSN 1572-9680     
document_url: http://oar.icrisat.org/4131/1/Agrofores_Syst_Online_2011.pdf