Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light

Measurements of incident solar radiation were made in sequentially cropped maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) planted between hedgerows of shrubs in an alley cropping pattern. The incident solar-radiation profile was examined and its effect on crop yield determined. The stud...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lawson, T.L., Kang, B.T.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 1990
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/101836
_version_ 1855514196166311936
author Lawson, T.L.
Kang, B.T.
author_browse Kang, B.T.
Lawson, T.L.
author_facet Lawson, T.L.
Kang, B.T.
author_sort Lawson, T.L.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Measurements of incident solar radiation were made in sequentially cropped maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) planted between hedgerows of shrubs in an alley cropping pattern. The incident solar-radiation profile was examined and its effect on crop yield determined. The study involved four different species of shrubs (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Wit, Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp, Alchornea cordifolia, and Acioa barterii), planted at two row spacings (2 and 4 m) and two fertilizer rates (F1=45-20-20 and F2=90-40-40 kg of N-P-K ha−1) applied to the maize crop only. The hedgerows were periodically pruned, and the prunings added as mulch to the respective plots. The control plots were cropped without hedgerows. There was partial shading of the crops by the hedgerows despite periodic pruning of the shrubs. Incident radiation measured at the height of the leaves subtending the ear in maize, and just above the canopy in cowpea, decreased exponentially as a function of an index defined by the ratio of the relative height of the shrubs above the respective height of measurement in the crops (Hs−Hc) to the distance (D) between the hedgerow and the adjacent crop row. A higher degree of shading associated with the faster growing species (Leucaena, Gliricidia) and/or closer inter-hedgerow spacing resulted in corresponding decreases in crop yield. Larger amounts of hedgerow biomass production (> 5 t ha−1 dry weight) were found to be associated with significant decreases in crop yields owing to increased hedgerow shading particularly with Leucaena. Hedgerows and the organic residue mulch from the prunings contributed to an overall improvement in soil moisture retention.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace101836
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 1990
publishDateRange 1990
publishDateSort 1990
publisher Elsevier
publisherStr Elsevier
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1018362024-05-15T05:11:13Z Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light Lawson, T.L. Kang, B.T. cowpeas maize leucaena pruning soil water content solar radiation crop yield alley cropping forestry Measurements of incident solar radiation were made in sequentially cropped maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) planted between hedgerows of shrubs in an alley cropping pattern. The incident solar-radiation profile was examined and its effect on crop yield determined. The study involved four different species of shrubs (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Wit, Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp, Alchornea cordifolia, and Acioa barterii), planted at two row spacings (2 and 4 m) and two fertilizer rates (F1=45-20-20 and F2=90-40-40 kg of N-P-K ha−1) applied to the maize crop only. The hedgerows were periodically pruned, and the prunings added as mulch to the respective plots. The control plots were cropped without hedgerows. There was partial shading of the crops by the hedgerows despite periodic pruning of the shrubs. Incident radiation measured at the height of the leaves subtending the ear in maize, and just above the canopy in cowpea, decreased exponentially as a function of an index defined by the ratio of the relative height of the shrubs above the respective height of measurement in the crops (Hs−Hc) to the distance (D) between the hedgerow and the adjacent crop row. A higher degree of shading associated with the faster growing species (Leucaena, Gliricidia) and/or closer inter-hedgerow spacing resulted in corresponding decreases in crop yield. Larger amounts of hedgerow biomass production (> 5 t ha−1 dry weight) were found to be associated with significant decreases in crop yields owing to increased hedgerow shading particularly with Leucaena. Hedgerows and the organic residue mulch from the prunings contributed to an overall improvement in soil moisture retention. 1990-09 2019-06-25T17:09:14Z 2019-06-25T17:09:14Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/101836 en Limited Access Elsevier Lawson, T.L. & Kang, B.T. (1990). Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 52(3-4), 347-357.
spellingShingle cowpeas
maize
leucaena
pruning
soil water content
solar radiation
crop yield
alley cropping
forestry
Lawson, T.L.
Kang, B.T.
Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light
title Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light
title_full Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light
title_fullStr Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light
title_full_unstemmed Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light
title_short Yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light
title_sort yield of maize and cowpea in an alley cropping system in relation to available light
topic cowpeas
maize
leucaena
pruning
soil water content
solar radiation
crop yield
alley cropping
forestry
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/101836
work_keys_str_mv AT lawsontl yieldofmaizeandcowpeainanalleycroppingsysteminrelationtoavailablelight
AT kangbt yieldofmaizeandcowpeainanalleycroppingsysteminrelationtoavailablelight