Effects of relay inter-cropping summer cover crops with maize on cover crop biomass and maize yields in a warm-temperate region of South Africa
Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: Little research attention has been given to growing summer cover crops as part of conservation agriculture systems. Three cover crops (sorghum [Sorghum bicolor], mucuna [Mucuna pruriens] and sunhemp [Crotalaria juncea]) were relay-intercropped into maize [Zea mays] 42 days after planting maize. Biomass yields, N uptake and maize yield were measured. In sole cropping, sorghum had the highest dry weight (11 t ha−1) followed by sunhemp (7.2 t ha−1) and mucuna (6.1 t ha−1). However, cover crop biomass yields dropped significantly (85% for sorghum, 70% for sunhemp and mucuna) when relay-intercropped into maize. Nitrogen uptake followed a similar pattern with mucuna having the highest N-uptake of 70 kg N ha−1 in relay-intercropping as compared to the > 250 kg N ha−1 in the sole cropping system. Maize biomass and grain yields were not affected by relay-intercropping cover crops. The low cover crop biomass yields in relay-intercropping may not be viable for sustainable conservation agriculture.
Authors: F.S. Murungu, C. Chiduza, P. Muchaonyerwa
Institutions: Mangosuthu University of Technology, University of Fort Hare
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1995319280