The potential contribution of selected forage legume pastures to cereal production in crop-livestock farming systems

cg.creator.identifierShirley Tarawali: 0000-0001-9398-8780
cg.creator.identifierMichael Peters: 0000-0003-4237-3916
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1017/s0021859600077959en
cg.issn0021-8596en
cg.issue2en
cg.journalJournal of Agricultural Scienceen
cg.subject.ilriFORAGESen
cg.subject.ilriLIVESTOCKen
cg.subject.ilriFEEDSen
cg.volume127en
dc.contributor.authorTarawali, Shirley A.en
dc.contributor.authorPeters, Michaelen
dc.date.accessioned2013-05-06T07:01:31Zen
dc.date.available2013-05-06T07:01:31Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/28834
dc.titleThe potential contribution of selected forage legume pastures to cereal production in crop-livestock farming systemsen
dcterms.abstractThe potential of 3-year-old grazed pastures of Stylosanthes hamata, Chamaecrista rotundifolia and Centrosema pascuorum to contribute to subsequent maize production was investigated in subhumid Nigeria in 1993. All three legume pastures had the ability to give better maize grain yields than native pasture but this was significant only for Stylosanthes hamata and Chamaecrista rotundifolia. For the legume species, maximum yield of maize per kg of N applied was attained at 60 kgN/ha. The subsequent yield of maize could be related to the legume species used, pasture management and the length of the fallow period. Centrosema pascuorum behaved as an annual, and as such there was little legume present after 3 years; crop yield was therefore relatively low. Nevertheless, this species could be useful in 1-year fallow/pasture situations. Maize cropping was economically viable for legume plots only with 60 or 120 kgN/ha and not for native pasture. There was no significant differences in the time required to till or to weed legume pastures as compared with native pasture. Forage legume pastures could also have a positive effect on maize residue yields which represent a fodder resource in addition to the herbage understorey remaining after cropping, the quality of which could be enhanced by the presence of the forage legumes. The use of forage legumes for the promotion of both crop and livestock production in sustainable agricultural systems is discussed. The results of the study are used to highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate legume species, pasture management practices and duration of fallow period in relation to the prevailing farming system to maximize benefits from the legumes.en
dcterms.accessRightsLimited Access
dcterms.available2009-03-27
dcterms.bibliographicCitationJournal of Agricultural Science;127(pt.2): 175-182en
dcterms.extentp. 175-182en
dcterms.issued1996-09
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCopyrighted; all rights reserved
dcterms.publisherCambridge University Pressen
dcterms.subjectpasturesen
dcterms.subjectfeed legumesen
dcterms.subjectmixed farmingen
dcterms.subjectcerealsen
dcterms.subjectcrop productionen
dcterms.subjectanimal productionen
dcterms.subjectlivestocken
dcterms.subjecteconomic analysisen
dcterms.typeJournal Article

Files