| dc.description.abstract | Two-phased field experiments were conducted at Kabete Field Station, University
of Nairobi, Faculty of Agriculture, Kabete Campus and Field 3, Egerton University,
Njoro Campus to investigate the effects of legume intercrop management practices and
inorganic nitrogen application on growth and yield of finger millet (Eleusine coracana).
In phase one, an indigenous vegetable legume (Crotalaria brevidens), a fodder legume
(Trifolium quartinianum) were intercropped with finger millet and sole finger millet
supplied with three rates (0, 20, and 40 Kg N/ha) of nitrogen in the form of urea (46%
N) were laid out in a completely randomized block design with three replicates. Data
collected included plant heights and biomass for the legumes and finger millet at various
harvesting stages. During the' last biomass harvest plants from half of an experimental
plot were either uprooted or cut at ground level ensuring minimum soil disturbance. This
procedure formed the basis for phase two of the study. In this phase finger millet was
planted on all the last seasons plots. Considering the two harvesting methods there were
eighteen plots which gave eighteen treatments which had been laid out in a split plot
design. Data collected included plant heights, biomass, yield and yield components of
finger millet.
Results from phase one indicated that intercropping promoted vigour in the
growth of Crotalaria brevidens, whereas the performance of Trifolium quartinianum was
unaffected, especially at Kabete. This was observed from the time of emergence where
Crotalaria brevidens sprouted earlier than finger millet and Trifolium quartinianum, At
Njoro, germination time was more or less the same for all crops but the vegetative and
reproductive growths of Trifolium quartinianum were improved. At both sites results
showed that inorganic nitrogen had a beneficial effect on the two leafy legumes.
However, N enhanced both the vegetative and reproductive growth of sole finger millet.
Fresh leaf weight of Crotalaria brevidens at 56 (DAP) was 12.5% of the
cummulative leaf fresh weight at 84 DAP, while that of Trifolium quartinianum was 10%
of the final weight. In the case of of total leaf dry weight that for Crotalaria brevidens,
56 DAP was 11% of that at 84 DAP while that of Trifolium quartinianum was 18% of
the final weight.
Plant heights increased proportinately with that of Crotalaria brevidens being
higher than that of finger millet. Trifolium quartinianum was always shorter than finger
millet at both sites. Biomass (stems and leaves) of legumes was significantly higher in
plots where finger millet was intercropped with Crotalaria brevidens than where it was
intercropped with Trifolium quartinianum at Kabete only. Total legume and finger millet
biomass production was significantly higher at Kabete than in Njoro. Topdressing with
N significantly increased the biomass of sole finger millet. Land equivalent ratios (LERs)
were significantly lower in Crotalaria brevidens-finger millet intercrops than they were in
Trifolium quartinianum-finger millet intercrops. In all plots The CN ratios were higher
in top soils than in subsoils.
In phase two, finger millet planted on plots in which plants had been cut
germinated earlier than those on plots whose plants had been uprooted at Kabete.
Intercropping had no significant effect of the growth of finger millet. It was the opposite
at Njoro. Residual N and previous season's harvesting methods had a significant
(P < 0.05) effect on height but not on biomass, yield and yield components of finger millet
plants at both sites. In this phase C:N ratios in all plots were lower in sub than top soils
and the ratios were higher than those of phase one. | en |
