Title : Supplementing maize-cowpea a intercropping with biochar and farmyard manure benefit crop productivity and soil carbon-nitrogen-phosphorus fertility indicators under semiarid climate
Abstract:
Integrating Biochar (BC) and Farmyard Manure (FYM) can rejuvenate maize-cowpea intercropping benefits in soil organic Carbon (C) and nutrient depleted soil. This study assessed the effects of BC and FYM on crop productivity and soil Carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) fertility indicators of maize-cowpea intercropping in a nutrient depleted soil. A two-factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) field study, conducted for two years, consisted of intercropping (solo and intercropped maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)) and organic amendments (BC, FYM and BC+FYM) as experimental factors in a low-fertility alkaline soil. Intercropping followed an alternate-row cropping whereas BC & FYM were applied, individually and collectively, at 10 t ha-¹ rate. We found that supplementing maize-cowpea intercropping with BC and FYM significantly enhanced crop biomass & grain yields and resulted in Land Equivalent Ratio (LER)>1. Under the maize-cowpea intercropping with BC+FYM, grain yield increased by 63% and 61% for maize and cowpea, respectively than their solo crops. Addition of BC+FYM in maize-cowpea intercropping significantly enhanced microbial activity and biomass, and overall biological quotient as indicated from increased Fluorescein Diacetate (FDA) activity. We observed significantly higher total and labile C fractions, mineral N and P contents under maize-cowpea intercropping with BC+FYM. Soil multifunctionality score showed stronger positive relationships with biomass and grain yield components under the maize-cowpea intercropping. Our study recommends that augmenting cereal-legume intercropping with concomitant integration of BC and FYM can enhance crop productivity, soil CNP fertility and multifunctionality in a semiarid soil.
