General
The main objective of the study was to assess the potential contribution of various fodder and non-fodder legume cover crops to the management of N and improvement on soil productivity in smallholder farms in northwest Tanzania. The specific objectives, which together allow us to answer the main objective were:
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i) to evaluate the type and extent of changes in land use, cropping patterns and cattle keeping for the period 1961-1999 and the causal factors of change;
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ii) to assess the impact of changes on soil fertility management practices by farmers and the sustainability of the farming system in terms of nutrient balances;
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iii) to assess the adaptability and N2-fixation by forage and non-forage herbaceous legumes under on-station and on-farm conditions;
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iv) to understand factors that may hinder the adoption of legumes by farmers and identify the types of herbaceous legume species that are most desired by farmers;
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v) to understand the nitrogen release behaviour of farmer selected herbaceous legumes and the effect of application of their residues on maize yield under on-station and on-farm conditions;
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vi) to determine the N fertiliser equivalency of the above ground parts of legume cover crops and the efficiency of use of legume residue N by the subsequent maize crop;
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vii) to determine the best way to manage legume cover crops and their residues and the associated labour cost and labour productivity under farmer conditions;
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viii) to identify opportunities for soil fertility improvement through use of legumes cover crops by farm household with different resource endowment through higher production of maize and manure and
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ix) to assess the trade-offs among the economic goals (crop and manure production) and a sustainability goal (N-balance) of alternative crop activities in the annual cropping fields...
Contact
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