American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

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Assessment of the Profitability and the Effects of Three Maize-Based Cropping Systems on Soil Health in Western Africa

Received: 23 December 2014    Accepted: 06 January 2015    Published: 14 January 2015
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Abstract

Enhanced livelihoods for populations, especially smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa may be achieved through improved cropping systems. We assessed the economic returns from maize grain yield and the effects of three cropping systems on soil properties in an eight-year study segmented in cycles of two years each: continuous maize (Zea mays L.), maize-mucuna (Mucuna pruriens var. utilis), and maize-pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan). The rainfall pattern in the study region allows for two growing seasons per year, leading to four growing seasons per cycle. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer rates were imposed on maize in each system and maize grain yields and associated cash values as well as soil properties were measured. Seeding mucuna and pigeon pea crops into maize crop in the first year did not result in maize grain yield increases from N and P fertilizers in the subsequent year. Continuous maize system increased mean maize grain yields by 6.2 to 60.3% in the fallow year of the 2002-2003 and 2006-2007 cycles and by 5.1 to 8.2% on a cycle basis in the 2002-2003 cycles. For the remaining periods of the study, mucuna and pigeon pea based maize cropping increased grain yields by 28.6 to 47.6%, 22 to 260% and 28.3 to 136.1% in fallow year, non-fallow years and on a cycle basis, respectively, compared to yields under continuous maize. On a cycle basis, economic returns for maize-mucuna and maize-pigeon pea based systems were 105.1 and 66.5%, respectively, higher than that for continuous maize. The mucuna and pigeon pea based systems increased the initial soil total carbon (C) content by 55 and 69%, respectively, resulted in increases of 110 to117%, 33 to 63%, 29%, and 16-17% for exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and total cation exchange capacity (CEC), respectively, and enhanced water stable macroaggregates stability, compared to continuous maize. Maize mucuna and pigeon pea-based maize cropping systems with mucuna and pigeon crops in alternate years should be advised towards sustaining enhanced profitability and improved soil physical and chemical properties.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25
Published in American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 2, Issue 6, November 2014)
Page(s) 321-329
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Maize, Mucuna, Pigeon Pea, Fertilizer, Soil Properties, Profitability

References
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Author Information
  • Ecole Supérieure d’Agronomie, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo

  • Ecole Supérieure d’Agronomie, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo

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    Kodjovi Sotomè Detchinli, Jean Mianikpo Sogbedji. (2015). Assessment of the Profitability and the Effects of Three Maize-Based Cropping Systems on Soil Health in Western Africa. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 2(6), 321-329. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25

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    Kodjovi Sotomè Detchinli; Jean Mianikpo Sogbedji. Assessment of the Profitability and the Effects of Three Maize-Based Cropping Systems on Soil Health in Western Africa. Am. J. Agric. For. 2015, 2(6), 321-329. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25

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    Kodjovi Sotomè Detchinli, Jean Mianikpo Sogbedji. Assessment of the Profitability and the Effects of Three Maize-Based Cropping Systems on Soil Health in Western Africa. Am J Agric For. 2015;2(6):321-329. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25,
      author = {Kodjovi Sotomè Detchinli and Jean Mianikpo Sogbedji},
      title = {Assessment of the Profitability and the Effects of Three Maize-Based Cropping Systems on Soil Health in Western Africa},
      journal = {American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry},
      volume = {2},
      number = {6},
      pages = {321-329},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajaf.20140206.25},
      abstract = {Enhanced livelihoods for populations, especially smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa may be achieved through improved cropping systems. We assessed the economic returns from maize grain yield and the effects of three cropping systems on soil properties in an eight-year study segmented in cycles of two years each: continuous maize (Zea mays L.), maize-mucuna (Mucuna pruriens var. utilis), and maize-pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan). The rainfall pattern in the study region allows for two growing seasons per year, leading to four growing seasons per cycle. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer rates were imposed on maize in each system and maize grain yields and associated cash values as well as soil properties were measured. Seeding mucuna and pigeon pea crops into maize crop in the first year did not result in maize grain yield increases from N and P fertilizers in the subsequent year. Continuous maize system increased mean maize grain yields by 6.2 to 60.3% in the fallow year of the 2002-2003 and 2006-2007 cycles and by 5.1 to 8.2% on a cycle basis in the 2002-2003 cycles. For the remaining periods of the study, mucuna and pigeon pea based maize cropping increased grain yields by 28.6 to 47.6%, 22 to 260% and 28.3 to 136.1% in fallow year, non-fallow years and on a cycle basis, respectively, compared to yields under continuous maize. On a cycle basis, economic returns for maize-mucuna and maize-pigeon pea based systems were 105.1 and 66.5%, respectively, higher than that for continuous maize. The mucuna and pigeon pea based systems increased the initial soil total carbon (C) content by 55 and 69%, respectively, resulted in increases of 110 to117%, 33 to 63%, 29%, and 16-17% for exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and total cation exchange capacity (CEC), respectively, and enhanced water stable macroaggregates stability, compared to continuous maize. Maize mucuna and pigeon pea-based maize cropping systems with mucuna and pigeon crops in alternate years should be advised towards sustaining enhanced profitability and improved soil physical and chemical properties.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Assessment of the Profitability and the Effects of Three Maize-Based Cropping Systems on Soil Health in Western Africa
    AU  - Kodjovi Sotomè Detchinli
    AU  - Jean Mianikpo Sogbedji
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25
    T2  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
    JF  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
    JO  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
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    EP  - 329
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8591
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20140206.25
    AB  - Enhanced livelihoods for populations, especially smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa may be achieved through improved cropping systems. We assessed the economic returns from maize grain yield and the effects of three cropping systems on soil properties in an eight-year study segmented in cycles of two years each: continuous maize (Zea mays L.), maize-mucuna (Mucuna pruriens var. utilis), and maize-pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan). The rainfall pattern in the study region allows for two growing seasons per year, leading to four growing seasons per cycle. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer rates were imposed on maize in each system and maize grain yields and associated cash values as well as soil properties were measured. Seeding mucuna and pigeon pea crops into maize crop in the first year did not result in maize grain yield increases from N and P fertilizers in the subsequent year. Continuous maize system increased mean maize grain yields by 6.2 to 60.3% in the fallow year of the 2002-2003 and 2006-2007 cycles and by 5.1 to 8.2% on a cycle basis in the 2002-2003 cycles. For the remaining periods of the study, mucuna and pigeon pea based maize cropping increased grain yields by 28.6 to 47.6%, 22 to 260% and 28.3 to 136.1% in fallow year, non-fallow years and on a cycle basis, respectively, compared to yields under continuous maize. On a cycle basis, economic returns for maize-mucuna and maize-pigeon pea based systems were 105.1 and 66.5%, respectively, higher than that for continuous maize. The mucuna and pigeon pea based systems increased the initial soil total carbon (C) content by 55 and 69%, respectively, resulted in increases of 110 to117%, 33 to 63%, 29%, and 16-17% for exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and total cation exchange capacity (CEC), respectively, and enhanced water stable macroaggregates stability, compared to continuous maize. Maize mucuna and pigeon pea-based maize cropping systems with mucuna and pigeon crops in alternate years should be advised towards sustaining enhanced profitability and improved soil physical and chemical properties.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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