Mulching Practice in a Semi-Arid Zone of Nigeria for Soil Erosion Control and Grain Yield of Maize

Abstract

Water erosion is a major factor degrading soils of the Nigerian semi-arid ecoregions, and making agriculture less sustainable. For example, soil erosion in the Northern Guinea savanna ecozones of Nigeria is prominent in cultivated areas during the early part of the rain-fed crop production season, when most soil surfaces are bare. In order to estimate the magnitude and timing of soil loss from cultivated lands. Selected herbaceous legumes (Macrotyloma uniflorum, Stylosanthes hamata and Mucuna pruriens) were inter-cropped with maize, a sole maize and a maize/straw mulched treatments were also maintained and evaluated for soil loss control potential. Sediments were collected in 94 liter capacity drums in each treatment. This study was carried out in Zaria (between longitudes 7°30Ј and 7°50Ј E and latitudes 11°00Ј and 11°10Ј N) in 1993 and 1994. Results obtained show that generally, higher sediment yields in 1993 and 1994, were received under legume live mulch and sole maize treatments, than straw mulch. Macrotyloma live mulch however controlled soil loss better than the other legume live mulch and sole maize. Straw mulch, followed by Stylosanthes and Macrotyloma live mulch treatments resulted in significantly higher maize grain yields than sole maize and Mucuna live mulch treatment. Measured and estimated soil loss, and suitable management practices that would ensure sustained productivity of the soils were suggested.

Evaluating Mulch Cover with Coir Dust and Cover Crop with Palma Cactus as Soil and Water Conservation Techniques for Semiarid Environments: Laboratory Soil Flume Study under Simulated Rainfall

“…In contrast, the reduced canopy cover provided by the thin and vertical structure of the Palma cactus gives limited protection to the soil surface and limited rainfall interception [5,6,8,9]. When comparing mulch cover to cover crop for soil erosion control in a semiarid zone of Nigeria, Odunze [31] observed that the better erosion control obtained under straw was attributed to the fact that straw was uniformly spread over the soil surface, and it was close to the soil surface when compared to cover crop whose canopy was further above the soil surface. Mulch cover increases the hydraulic roughness and friction slope of the soil surface, therefore retarding surface flow and enhancing infiltration [7,13].…”

Sustainable practices to limit soil erosion: a review and discussion.

“…Organic and non-organic mulches, if available, cut down runoff and erosion world wide in cropped fields and plantations [123][124][125][126][127][128].…”

Effect of management practices for Stylosanthes hamata (L.) Taub. biomass cover on the weed species in different direct‐seeding, mulch‐based cropping systems

“…To reverse this trend and enhance soil fertility and improve crop productivity, conservation agriculture (CA) is often promoted (Ito et al, ; Valbuena et al, ; Corbeels et al, ). Direct‐seeding and no‐tillage cropping systems are being developed to sustainably improve crop productivity and soil fertility (Odunze, ; Razafimbelo et al, ; Saito et al, ). These systems offer several advantages: they are less time consuming, require less arduous work, reduce weeding and improve crop yields (Odunze, ; Salako & Tian, ).…”

“…Amzad Hossain *Correspondence to: Abib Camara, National School of Agriculture, Thies-University, Km 3,5 Route de Khombole, PO Box A 296 Thies, Senegal. Email: camouabib@yahoo.fr are being developed to sustainably improve crop productivity and soil fertility (Odunze, 2002;Razafimbelo et al, 2006;Saito et al, 2010). These systems offer several advantages: they are less time consuming, require less arduous work, reduce weeding and improve crop yields (Odunze, 2002;Salako & Tian, 2003).…”