In-Field Rainwater Harvesting Tillage in Semi-Arid Ecosystems: I Maize-Bean Intercrop Performance and Productivity.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to monitor and compare the growth and productivity of maize/beans sole and inter-cropping systems under conventional (CON) and in-field rainwater harvesting (IRWH) tillage practices. During the typical drought conditions of the 2018/19 growing season, seven homestead gardens of smallholder farmers (four in Paradys and three in Morago villages) in the Thaba Nchu rural communities of South Africa were selected for on-farm demonstration trials. Two tillage systems CON and IRWH as the main plot and three cropping systems as sub-treatment (sole maize and beans and intercropping) were used to measure crop growth and productivity parameters. The results showed that IRWH tillage had significantly higher above-ground dry matter for both sole maize (29%) and intercroppe

SUBMITTER: Tesfuhuney W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10490175 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature