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Alley farming research on high base status soils
Abstract/Description
Result of long time alley cropping trials show that the inclusion of N2- fixing hedgerow species maintain higher levels of soil fertility than control treatment (no hedgerow) on high base status soils in the humid zone. Hedgerows contribute to nutrient cycling and higher faunal activity. With good husbandry, maize grain yield can be sustained al relatively high levels with lower fertilizer input. Hedgerows are also effective in reducing erosion on sloping land. Additional research effort is needed for adaptability trials, to provide the basis for developing a decision support system package.