Abstract
Abstract Malawi smallholder farmers are facing climate-induced challenges that have increased food and nutrition insecurity in the country, thus sustainable intensification practices has been widely recommended. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of cropping systems with improved varieties on total system productivity and nutrition under different environments. The study involved on-farm experiments in ten communities in Central and Southern Malawi, incrementally established from 2005/2006 to 2018/2019 cropping seasons. Each community had six demonstration plots with three main treatments: conventional ploughing (CP): sole maize grown on seasonally constructed ridges and furrows; no-tillage (NT): sole maize grown on retained ridges with minimum soil disturbance and residue retained; and Conservation agriculture (CA): maize intercropped either cowpea, pigeon pea or groundnut on retained ridges as in NT. Our results show that total system nutrition was higher in CA treatments than NT and CP. The yields of maize were at least 800 kg ha −1 higher in CA and NT than CP despite the variety that was grown. Legume yields were also higher under CA and NT than CP. High protein yield was observed in CA systems (at least 100 kg ha −1 higher than CP) where maize and legume intercrops were rotated with grain legumes. Our results show nutrients and energy gains in CA and NT systems that can be invested in practices that increases the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change. Conservation agriculture and NT systems have more influence on productivity of smallholder farms, despite the genotypes used (hybrids or OPVs).
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Conservation agriculture had higher total system nutrition than no-tillage and conventional ploughing.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“total system nutrition was higher in CA treatments than NT and CP”
t0“maize-legume”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize yields under CA and NT exceeded conventional ploughing by at least 800 kg ha −1 regardless of variety.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The yields of maize were at least 800 kg ha −1 higher in CA and NT than CP despite the variety that was grown.”
Claim · model-written summary
Legume yields were higher under CA and NT than conventional ploughing.
Verbatim
e0“Legume yields were also higher under CA and NT than CP.”
Claim · model-written summary
CA systems with rotated maize and legume intercrops had protein yield at least 100 kg ha −1 higher than CP.
- Treatment
- CA systemse0
- Outcome
- protein yielde0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 100 kg ha −1e0
- Qualifier
- where maize and legume intercrops were rotated with grain legumese0
- Comparator
- CPe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High protein yield was observed in CA systems (at least 100 kg ha −1 higher than CP) where maize and legume intercrops were rotated with grain legumes.”
Claim · model-written summary
CA and NT produced nutrient and energy gains.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Our results show nutrients and energy gains in CA and NT systems”
t0“maize-legume”
Claim · model-written summary
CA and NT influenced smallholder productivity more than genotype choice.
- Treatment
- Conservation agriculture and NT systemse0
- Outcome
- productivity of smallholder farmse0
- Direction
- more influencee0
- Comparator
- genotypes used (hybrids or OPVs)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Conservation agriculture and NT systems have more influence on productivity of smallholder farms, despite the genotypes used (hybrids or OPVs).”
t0“maize-legume”
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