Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata)
Dissertation (MScAgric)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
Saved in:
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Published: |
University of Pretoria
2013
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613468162523136 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Steyn, Joachim Marthinus |
| author_browse | Steyn, Joachim Marthinus |
| author_facet | Steyn, Joachim Marthinus |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2010, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Dissertation (MScAgric)--University of Pretoria, 2010. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/27155 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:37.472Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/27155 Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) Steyn, Joachim Marthinus lebogangm@arc.agric.za Medupe, Mercy Lebogang Monocropping Cowpea Maize Planting density Yield Sequential-cropping UCTD Dissertation (MScAgric)--University of Pretoria, 2010. Maize is the most important cereal crop grown in areas of South Africa by both small-scale and commercial farmers. Maize monocropping without sufficient input and declining soil nitrogen content are some of the factors that limit yield. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of different cowpea cultivars and populations on growth, yield and yield components of succeeding maize. The effects of cropping systems on soil N content were also observed. Field experiments were conducted during the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 growing seasons at Potchefstroom and Taung in North West province. The trial consisted of four cowpea cultivars: PAN 311 (short duration cowpea cultivar), CH 84, Bechuana white (medium duration cowpea cultivar) and TVU 1124 (long duration cowpea cultivar) and, four planting densities (10 000, 15 000, 20 000 and 40 000 plants ha-1). Maize was used as sequential test crop to determine the residual effect of previous cowpea treatments. Cowpea grain yield increased as planting density increased at both localities. TVU 1124 gave highest grain yield of all cowpea cultivars at both localities. Total dry matter yield also increased with increasing planting density. After cowpea soil NO3- and NH4+ content increased with increasing density. Similarly, soil NO3- content of maize following cowpea showed a considerable improvement, compared to maize monocropping. The highest soil NO3- and NH4+ content was observed when maize followed Bechuana White. Significant differences were also observed in soil microbial activities among the cultivars. Maize grain yields and plant height responded positively to the previous cowpea crop, compared with maize monocropping at both locations, but especially at Taung. Maize stover yield, cob length and KNC significantly responded to maize and cowpea rotation compared to maize monocropping at Taung. These results further confirm the potential of using cowpea to contribute soil N to subsequent maize crops in a rotational system. Copyright Plant Production and Soil Science unrestricted 2013-09-07T10:49:17Z 2010-08-11 2013-09-07T10:49:17Z 2010-04-21 2010-08-11 2010-08-11 Dissertation Medupe, ML 2010, Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), MScAgric dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27155 > E10/398/gm http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27155 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-08112010-154447/ © 2010, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Monocropping Cowpea Maize Planting density Yield Sequential-cropping UCTD Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) |
| title | Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) |
| title_full | Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) |
| title_fullStr | Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) |
| title_short | Improving dryland maize (Zea mays) productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) |
| title_sort | improving dryland maize zea mays productivity through crop rotation with cowpeas vigna unguiculata |
| topic | Monocropping Cowpea Maize Planting density Yield Sequential-cropping UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27155 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-08112010-154447/ |