Contribution of Agroforestry Tress for Integrated Nutrient Management to Improve Maize Yield on Smallholder Fields

Authors

  • Ekow Gaisie  Soil and Water Conservation, Soil Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Adams Sadick  Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy, Soil Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Gabriel Quansah  Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy, Soil Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Patrick Ofori  Soil Microbiology, Soil Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana

Keywords:

Multipurpose Tree, Moringa, Gliricidia, Agroforestry and Semi-Deciduous Rain Forest

Abstract

A major tenet of agroforestry is that trees maintain soil fertility and it is based on observation of higher crop yields near trees or where trees have been grown before. This hypothesis is based on studies of effective transfer of nutrients from litter to trees in natural ecosystem. A research was conducted at Central Agricultural Station, Kwadaso to assess the contribution of multipurpose trees and sole fertilizer to improve maize yield on smallholder fields. Six (6) treatments were applied in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three (3) replicates. The treatments were: T1 = Control, T2 = NPK 90-60-60, T3 = Gliricidia sepium (4t/ha), T4 = Moringa oleifera (4t/ha), T5 = Gliricidia sepium (2t/ha) + NPK 60-30-30 and T6 = Moringa oleifera (2t/ha) + NPK 60-30-30. Maize variety, Obatampa was used in the experiment. The results showed that for the three successive years of maize harvest, the performances of biomass application from the two MPTs are comparable to the full rate blanket fertilizer application rate for all ecological zones (NPK 90-60-60). There were indications that either of the two species of MPTs, Moringa and Gliricidia could be applied with or without fertilizer to raise maize yields at the rates indicated and also sustainably improve soil productivity.

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International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology

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Published

2017-12-31

Issue

Volume 2, Issue 3, May-June-2016

Section

Research Articles

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How to Cite

[1]
Ekow Gaisie, Adams Sadick, Gabriel Quansah, Patrick Ofori, " Contribution of Agroforestry Tress for Integrated Nutrient Management to Improve Maize Yield on Smallholder Fields, International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology(IJSRST), Online ISSN : 2395-602X, Print ISSN : 2395-6011, Volume 2, Issue 3, pp.69-73, May-June-2016.