Abstract
The sustainability of prevailing maize-fallow system in rainfed ecosystems of the Eastern Himalayan region (EHR) of India is often questioned due to poor economic return and negative impact on soil health. Hence, the six cropping systems, maize-fallow (M-F), maize + cowpea-rapeseed (M + C-Rs), maize + cowpea-buckwheat (M + C-Bw), maize + cowpea-barley (M + C–B), maize + cowpea-garden pea (M + C-GP) and maize + cowpea–rajmash (M + C-R) in the main plot and three soil moisture conservation measures, no-mulch (NM), maize stover mulch (MSM) and maize stover + weed biomass mulch (MSM + WBM) in sub-plot were evaluated for four consecutive years (2014-18) at a Research Farm in fixed plot fashion. Results indicated that cowpea co-culture with maize and inclusion of winter crop increased maize yield by 6.2–23.5% over M-F. Among the systems, the M + C-GP recorded the highest crop productivity. The residual effect of MSM + WBM increased maize grain yield by 19.1% over NM. Cultivation of maize + cowpea-winter crops significantly improved the available N (3.2–12.9%), P (3.6–12.7%), K (1.9–26.3%), organic carbon (9.2–16.8%), microbial biomass carbon-MBC (15.2–43.9%) and dehydrogenases-DHA (17.2–42.3%) in soil at 0–15 cm depth as compared to M-F. The M + C-GP also recorded maximum net return (US $2460 ha−1), benefit:cost (B: C) ratio (2.86) and energy use efficiency (7.9%). The MSM + WBM recorded higher net return (US $1680 ha−1) and B:C ratio (2.46) over NM. Hence, cowpea + maize-garden pea (M + C-GP) along with the application of MSM + WBM is a sustainable production practice to intensify the organically managed maize-fallow system in rainfed regions of the EHR of India and other similar ecosystems.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
Cowpea co-culture and winter cropping increased maize yield by 6.2–23.5% over maize fallow.
- Treatment
- cowpea co-culture with maize and inclusion of winter crope0
- Outcome
- maize yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 6.2–23.5%e0
- Comparator
- M-Fe0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea co-culture with maize and inclusion of winter crop increased maize yield by 6.2–23.5% over M-F.”
Claim · model-written summary
The maize-cowpea-garden pea system had the highest crop productivity.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the M + C-GP recorded the highest crop productivity.”
t0“maize-based systems”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize stover and weed biomass mulch increased maize grain yield by 19.1% over no mulch.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The residual effect of MSM + WBM increased maize grain yield by 19.1% over NM.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize-cowpea-winter crops significantly increased soil available N by 3.2–12.9% versus maize fallow.
- Treatment
- maize + cowpea-winter cropse0
- Outcome
- available Ne0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 3.2–12.9%e0
- Qualifier
- soil at 0–15 cm depthe0
- Comparator
- M-Fe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cultivation of maize + cowpea-winter crops significantly improved the available N (3.2–12.9%), P (3.6–12.7%), K (1.9–26.3%), organic carbon (9.2–16.8%), microbial biomass carbon-MBC (15.2–43.9%) and dehydrogenases-DHA (17.2–42.3%) in soil at 0–15 cm depth as compared to M-F.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize-cowpea-winter crops significantly increased soil available P by 3.6–12.7%.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cultivation of maize + cowpea-winter crops significantly improved the available N (3.2–12.9%), P (3.6–12.7%), K (1.9–26.3%), organic carbon (9.2–16.8%), microbial biomass carbon-MBC (15.2–43.9%) and dehydrogenases-DHA (17.2–42.3%) in soil at 0–15 cm depth as compared to M-F.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize-cowpea-winter crops significantly increased soil available K by 1.9–26.3%.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cultivation of maize + cowpea-winter crops significantly improved the available N (3.2–12.9%), P (3.6–12.7%), K (1.9–26.3%), organic carbon (9.2–16.8%), microbial biomass carbon-MBC (15.2–43.9%) and dehydrogenases-DHA (17.2–42.3%) in soil at 0–15 cm depth as compared to M-F.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize-cowpea-winter crops significantly increased soil organic carbon by 9.2–16.8%.
- Treatment
- maize + cowpea-winter cropse0
- Outcome
- organic carbone0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 9.2–16.8%e0
- Comparator
- M-Fe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cultivation of maize + cowpea-winter crops significantly improved the available N (3.2–12.9%), P (3.6–12.7%), K (1.9–26.3%), organic carbon (9.2–16.8%), microbial biomass carbon-MBC (15.2–43.9%) and dehydrogenases-DHA (17.2–42.3%) in soil at 0–15 cm depth as compared to M-F.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize-cowpea-winter crops significantly increased soil microbial biomass carbon by 15.2–43.9%.
- Treatment
- maize + cowpea-winter cropse0
- Outcome
- microbial biomass carbon-MBCe0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 15.2–43.9%e0
- Comparator
- M-Fe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cultivation of maize + cowpea-winter crops significantly improved the available N (3.2–12.9%), P (3.6–12.7%), K (1.9–26.3%), organic carbon (9.2–16.8%), microbial biomass carbon-MBC (15.2–43.9%) and dehydrogenases-DHA (17.2–42.3%) in soil at 0–15 cm depth as compared to M-F.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize-cowpea-winter crops significantly increased soil dehydrogenase activity by 17.2–42.3%.
- Treatment
- maize + cowpea-winter cropse0
- Outcome
- dehydrogenases-DHAe0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 17.2–42.3%e0
- Comparator
- M-Fe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cultivation of maize + cowpea-winter crops significantly improved the available N (3.2–12.9%), P (3.6–12.7%), K (1.9–26.3%), organic carbon (9.2–16.8%), microbial biomass carbon-MBC (15.2–43.9%) and dehydrogenases-DHA (17.2–42.3%) in soil at 0–15 cm depth as compared to M-F.”
Claim · model-written summary
The maize-cowpea-garden pea system reached the maximum net return of US $2460 ha−1.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The M + C-GP also recorded maximum net return (US $2460 ha−1), benefit:cost (B: C) ratio (2.86) and energy use efficiency (7.9%).”
t0“maize-based systems”
Claim · model-written summary
The maize-cowpea-garden pea system recorded a benefit to cost ratio of 2.86.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The M + C-GP also recorded maximum net return (US $2460 ha−1), benefit:cost (B: C) ratio (2.86) and energy use efficiency (7.9%).”
t0“maize-based systems”
Claim · model-written summary
The maize-cowpea-garden pea system recorded energy use efficiency of 7.9%.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The M + C-GP also recorded maximum net return (US $2460 ha−1), benefit:cost (B: C) ratio (2.86) and energy use efficiency (7.9%).”
t0“maize-based systems”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize stover plus weed biomass mulch yielded higher net return of US $1680 ha−1 than no mulch.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The MSM + WBM recorded higher net return (US $1680 ha−1) and B:C ratio (2.46) over NM.”
t0“maize-based systems”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize stover plus weed biomass mulch yielded a higher benefit to cost ratio of 2.46 than no mulch.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The MSM + WBM recorded higher net return (US $1680 ha−1) and B:C ratio (2.46) over NM.”
t0“maize-based systems”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend maize-cowpea-garden pea cropping with maize stover and weed biomass mulch as sustainable intensification.
- Outcome
- cowpea + maize-garden pea (M + C-GP) along with the application of MSM + WBMe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea + maize-garden pea (M + C-GP) along with the application of MSM + WBM is a sustainable production practice to intensify the organically managed maize-fallow system”
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