IMPROVING MAIZE PRODUCTION OF IN‐FIELD RAINWATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUE AT GLEN IN SOUTH AFRICA BY THE ADDITION OF MULCHING PRACTICES
2012
In response to the severe food insecurity of small-scale farmers east of Bloemfontein (South Africa), a maize field experiment was laid out on a clayey soil located in a semi-arid ecotope at Glen. The main aims of the experiment were to evaluate yield and rainwater productivity (RWP) improvements to the in-field rainwater harvesting (IRWH) production technique by using different mulching practices in the basins and runoff strips, and to compare these treatments with conventional tillage. The 4-yr experiment consisted of a randomised block design with five treatments and three replicates. The treatments were conventional tillage (CON), and four IRWH treatments. The mulch types used were organic material (O) and stones (S), while bare (B) was included as a control. These mulches were applied on the runoff (r) strips or basin (b) strips in the following combinations: ObBr, ObOr, ObSr and SbSr. The soil water balance components were measured or estimated. Biomass and grain yield were determined. Results showed that maize yields for ObBr were for all seasons significantly better than CON. Both the grain yields and the RWP results from the IRWH treatments were for all seasons in the order: ObSr > ObOr > SbSr > ObBr. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
RESUME
En reponse a l'insecurite alimentaire severe de petits agriculteurs a l'est de Bloemfontein (Afrique du Sud), une experimentation dans un champ cultive en mais a ete menee en sol argileux et zone semi-aride a Glen. Les principaux objectifs de l'experience etaient d'evaluer le rendement et la productivite des eaux de pluie (GTR) et l'amelioration de la recolte a la parcelle des eaux de pluie (IRWH) en utilisant differentes pratiques de paillage dans des bassins d'infiltration et sur des bandes dediees au ruissellement, et de comparer ces traitements avec le labour conventionnel. L'experience a dure quatre ans dans un dispositif en blocs aleatoires avec cinq traitements et trois repetitions. Les traitements etaient le labour conventionnel (CON) et quatre traitements IRWH. Les types de paillis utilises etaient la matiere organique (O) et les pierres (S), tandis que le sol nu (B) a ete inclus comme controle. Ces paillis ont ete appliques sur les bandes de ruissellement (r) ou les bassins (B) d'infiltration dans les combinaisons suivantes: ObBr, Obor, ObSr and SbSr. Les composantes du bilan hydrique du sol ont ete mesurees ou estimees. La biomasse et le rendement en grain ont ete determines. Les resultats ont montre que les rendements de mais pour ObBr etaient pour toutes les saisons significativement meilleures que CON. Les deux les rendements en grains et les resultats des traitements de statistiques sur IRWH etaient pour toutes les saisons dans l'ordre: OBSR > Obor > SbSr > ObBr. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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