Abstract
Abstract Leguminous‐based intercropping, combined with conservation agriculture, is a promising approach to improve soil fertility, crop yields, and sustainable land use for smallholder farmers in sub‐Saharan Africa, including Malawi. This study aimed to assess the effects of incorporating legume‐based intercropping systems involving pigeon pea ( Cajanus cajan ) and cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) into the deep bed farming (DBF) system promoted by Tiyeni in northern Malawi. The study used a split plot design with cropping systems (CS) as the main plots and tillage systems (TS) as the sub‐plots. All treatments were replicated three times. The study encompassed two cropping seasons, where CS included legume‐based treatments, sole cropped maize ( Zea mays ) without fertilizer (MZ) and sole cropped maize with 92 kg top dressing N fertilizer per hectare (MZ + 92), while TS included DBF and conventional tillage (CT). The study found that all plots with leguminous crops on both DBF and CT showed higher levels of ammonium (NH 4 + ), nitrate (NO 3 − ) and phosphorus (P) in the soil, but DBF had significantly higher levels over 2 years. Intercropping systems showed higher land productivity (land equivalent ratio > 1) than sole cropping in both years, indicating that legume‐based cropping can improve land use efficiency and yields. It can be noted from this study that intercropping systems based on cereals and legumes, implemented in DBF, has the potential to sustain agricultural intensification in sub‐Saharan African countries where access to chemical fertilizers is limited among smallholder farmers.
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Claims 3
Claim · model-written summary
Leguminous crop plots had higher soil ammonium, nitrate, and phosphorus on both tillage systems.
- Taxon
- pigeon pea
Cajanus cajant0 - Treatment
- leguminous cropse0
- Outcome
- levels of ammonium (NH 4 + ), nitrate (NO 3 − ) and phosphorus (P) in the soile0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“all plots with leguminous crops on both DBF and CT showed higher levels of ammonium (NH 4 + ), nitrate (NO 3 − ) and phosphorus (P) in the soil”
t0“pigeon pea”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep bed farming had significantly higher soil nutrient levels over two years.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“DBF had significantly higher levels over 2 years”
t0“pigeon pea”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropping had greater land productivity than sole cropping in both years.
- Taxon
- pigeon peaCajanus cajant0
- Treatment
- Intercropping systemse0
- Outcome
- land productivitye0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- land equivalent ratio > 1e0
- Qualifier
- both yearse0
- Comparator
- sole croppinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Intercropping systems showed higher land productivity (land equivalent ratio > 1) than sole cropping in both years”
t0“pigeon pea”
The same questions in other papers
intercropping · yield · Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea)Results differ
93 papers in the same direction as this paper · 22 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- negative
- no effect
- negative
113 papers more in this group
See all 117 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.