Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa

Most of the farmers in the dry savannas of West Africa plant local varieties of cowpea, millet, sorghum, and groundnut in various intercropping systems with little or no purchased inputs. In this system, the cowpea and groundnut yields are low due to shading by cereals and lack of plant protection m...

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Autores principales: Singh, B.B., Ajeigbe, Hakeem A.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2000
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99920
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author Singh, B.B.
Ajeigbe, Hakeem A.
author_browse Ajeigbe, Hakeem A.
Singh, B.B.
author_facet Singh, B.B.
Ajeigbe, Hakeem A.
author_sort Singh, B.B.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Most of the farmers in the dry savannas of West Africa plant local varieties of cowpea, millet, sorghum, and groundnut in various intercropping systems with little or no purchased inputs. In this system, the cowpea and groundnut yields are low due to shading by cereals and lack of plant protection measures. The cereal yields are low mainly due to lack of fertilizer. Efforts are being made, therefore, to develop a combination of improved varieties and improved cropping systems for higher productivity and profitability with a minimum use of insecticides and fertilizers. We evaluated four cereal- cowpea intercropping row arrangements involving cereals: one cowpea, one cereal: four cowpea, two cereal: four cowpea intercrops, and sole crops of improved and local varieties of millet, cowpea, and sorghum with selective application of two sprays of insecticides on cowpea only and 100kg/ha fertilizer (N.P.K. 15:15:15) basal and 20kgN/ha top-dressed to cereals only. The results indicated sole crop improved cowpea to be most profitable followed by the two cereals: four cowpea intercrop system. Farmer participatory evaluation of the improved intercrop system involving two rows of sorghum: four rows of improved cowpea with inputs as indicated above, gave 100 to 300% gross economic superiority over the traditional intercropping systems. Smallholder farmers prefer the improved intercropping system over sole crops because it provides them with sufficient sorghum and cowpea for home use and additional cowpea for cash income.
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spelling CGSpace999202023-02-15T07:20:14Z Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa Singh, B.B. Ajeigbe, Hakeem A. farmers cereals intercropping yields fertilizers Most of the farmers in the dry savannas of West Africa plant local varieties of cowpea, millet, sorghum, and groundnut in various intercropping systems with little or no purchased inputs. In this system, the cowpea and groundnut yields are low due to shading by cereals and lack of plant protection measures. The cereal yields are low mainly due to lack of fertilizer. Efforts are being made, therefore, to develop a combination of improved varieties and improved cropping systems for higher productivity and profitability with a minimum use of insecticides and fertilizers. We evaluated four cereal- cowpea intercropping row arrangements involving cereals: one cowpea, one cereal: four cowpea, two cereal: four cowpea intercrops, and sole crops of improved and local varieties of millet, cowpea, and sorghum with selective application of two sprays of insecticides on cowpea only and 100kg/ha fertilizer (N.P.K. 15:15:15) basal and 20kgN/ha top-dressed to cereals only. The results indicated sole crop improved cowpea to be most profitable followed by the two cereals: four cowpea intercrop system. Farmer participatory evaluation of the improved intercrop system involving two rows of sorghum: four rows of improved cowpea with inputs as indicated above, gave 100 to 300% gross economic superiority over the traditional intercropping systems. Smallholder farmers prefer the improved intercropping system over sole crops because it provides them with sufficient sorghum and cowpea for home use and additional cowpea for cash income. 2000 2019-03-03T05:54:04Z 2019-03-03T05:54:04Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99920 en Limited Access Singh, B.B. & Ajeigbe, H. (2000). Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa. European Society of Agronomy, 135.
spellingShingle farmers
cereals
intercropping
yields
fertilizers
Singh, B.B.
Ajeigbe, Hakeem A.
Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa
title Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa
title_full Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa
title_fullStr Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa
title_full_unstemmed Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa
title_short Improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of West Africa
title_sort improved cropping systems for higher productivity in the dry savannas of west africa
topic farmers
cereals
intercropping
yields
fertilizers
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99920
work_keys_str_mv AT singhbb improvedcroppingsystemsforhigherproductivityinthedrysavannasofwestafrica
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