Tillage And Cropping Systems: Effects On Soil Moisture And Sorghum [sorghum Bicolor (l)] Yields In Makueni County, Kenya
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Date
2011Author
Kitinya, K. T.
Onwonga, R.N.
Mbuvi, J. P.
Kironchi, G.
Type
PresentationLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
A study to determine the effects of tillage and cropping systems on; soil surface roughness,
moisture storage and sorghum, and cowpea yield was conducted in the semi-arid Makueni
County, Kenya during the long (LRS) and short rains seasons (SRS) of 2010 and 2011. Three
tillage systems; tied-ridging (TR), oxen-plough (OP) and sub-soiling and ripping (SR) and, three
cropping systems; sole sorghum with and without manure application, sorghum-cowpea rotation
and sorghum/cowpea intercropping, were investigated. Surface roughness recorded immediately
after tillage was 75, 30 and 25% for TR, SR and OP, respectively. Moisture content below the
60 cm soil depth varied significantly (p<0.05) in the tillage-cropping system and cropping
season. Plots where manure was applied exhibited higher moisture content irrespective of tillage
or cropping system. Maximum and minimum sorghum grain yields of 1.96 and 0.36 t ha-1 were
achieved under TR and OP during the SRS and LRS, respectively. Differences in sorghum grain
yield with and without manure application were 78%, 57% and 24% and 28, 43% and 48% under
TR, OP and SR during the SRS and LRS respectively. Intercropping significantly reduced
(>50%) in cowpea (OP and SR) and sorghum (OP) yields during the SRS. In the LRS reductions
were minimal (<25%) across the tillage systems of both crops. The SRS favoured sorghum
production whereas cowpea performed better in the LRS. TR showed the least reduction in
yields across cropping systems. The TR systems could be boosted by manure application and
thus support sustainable production of sorghum in the semi-arid areas.