Abstract
Introduction of cover cropping systems may be important to a stable food supply in sub‐Saharan Africa. We examined the effects of three cropping systems in a 2‐yr, four growing season study in Togo: continuous maize ( Zea mays L.), maize–mucuna [ Mucuna pruriens (L.) D.C.], and maize–pigeon pea ( Cajanus cajan L.). Mucuna and pigeon pea were grown in 1‐ or 2‐yr cycles, and three N and two P fertilizer rates were factorially applied on maize. Use of mucuna and pigeon pea after maize in the first year reduced N and P fertilizer needs in the subsequent year. Cover crops increased maize grain yield by 37.5 and 32.1%, respectively, in the second year. Two‐year cumulative economic returns on maize production were optimal when cover crops were grown every other year (every fourth season), compared to continuous maize or annual cover crops. The April 2002 to December 2003 soil N budgets showed a gain of N (>400 kg ha −1 ) under all cropping systems. Initial soil nitrate (NO 3 )–N was reduced by 57.8% under the continuous maize system, but increased by 39 and 3.6% under the mucuna‐based and pigeon pea–based systems, respectively. Low (<20 kg ha −1 ) N losses occurred during the fallow period. Phosphorus losses occurred for all periods, but a mucuna‐based cropping system has potential for soil P replenishment. The relay of a mucuna cover crop into maize in one out of 2 yr was most economical and improved soil N and P status without commercial fertilizers.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Mucuna after maize reduced subsequent N and P fertilizer needs.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Use of mucuna and pigeon pea after maize in the first year reduced N and P fertilizer needs in the subsequent year”
Claim · model-written summary
Pigeon pea after maize reduced subsequent N and P fertilizer needs.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Use of mucuna and pigeon pea after maize in the first year reduced N and P fertilizer needs in the subsequent year”
Claim · model-written summary
Mucuna cover crop increased second-year maize grain yield by 37.5%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cover crops increased maize grain yield by 37.5 and 32.1%, respectively, in the second year”
t0“maize–mucuna”
Claim · model-written summary
Pigeon pea cover crop increased second-year maize grain yield by 32.1%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cover crops increased maize grain yield by 37.5 and 32.1%, respectively, in the second year”
t0“maize–pigeon pea”
Claim · model-written summary
Two-year maize economic returns were optimal with cover crops every other year.
- Treatment
- cover crops were grown every other yeare0
- Outcome
- Two‐year cumulative economic returnse0
- Direction
- optimale0
- Comparator
- continuous maize or annual cover cropse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Two‐year cumulative economic returns on maize production were optimal when cover crops were grown every other year (every fourth season), compared to continuous maize or annual cover crops”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil N budgets gained more than 400 kg per hectare under all systems.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“soil N budgets showed a gain of N (>400 kg ha −1 ) under all cropping systems”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Initial soil nitrate declined 57.8% under continuous maize.
- Treatment
- continuous maize systeme0
- Outcome
- Initial soil nitrate (NO 3 )–Ne0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 57.8%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Initial soil nitrate (NO 3 )–N was reduced by 57.8% under the continuous maize system”
Claim · model-written summary
Initial soil nitrate increased 39% under mucuna.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Initial soil nitrate (NO 3 )–N was reduced by 57.8% under the continuous maize system, but increased by 39 and 3.6% under the mucuna‐based and pigeon pea–based systems, respectively”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Initial soil nitrate increased 3.6% under pigeon pea.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Initial soil nitrate (NO 3 )–N was reduced by 57.8% under the continuous maize system, but increased by 39 and 3.6% under the mucuna‐based and pigeon pea–based systems, respectively”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
N losses during fallow were below 20 kg per hectare.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Low (<20 kg ha −1 ) N losses occurred during the fallow period”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Phosphorus losses occurred in all periods.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Phosphorus losses occurred for all periods”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Mucuna-based cropping may replenish soil phosphorus.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a mucuna‐based cropping system has potential for soil P replenishment”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Relaying mucuna into maize every other year was most economical.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The relay of a mucuna cover crop into maize in one out of 2 yr was most economical”
Claim · model-written summary
Relaying mucuna into maize every other year improved soil N and P status without commercial fertilizers.
- Treatment
- mucuna cover crope0
- Outcome
- soil N and P statuse0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Qualifier
- without commercial fertilizerse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The relay of a mucuna cover crop into maize in one out of 2 yr was most economical and improved soil N and P status without commercial fertilizers”
t0“Maize”
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