VTechWorks staff will be away for the Thanksgiving holiday beginning at noon on Wednesday, November 27, through Friday, November 29. We will resume normal operations on Monday, December 2. Thank you for your patience.

Browsing by Author "Rusinamhodzi, L."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Maize-based conservation agriculture systems in Malawi: Long-term trends in productivity
    Thierfelder, Christian; Chisui, J. L.; Gama, M.; Cheesman, S.; Jere, Z. D.; Bunderson, W. T.; Eash, Neal S.; Rusinamhodzi, L. (2013)
    Continuous maize cultivation in Malawi has degraded the soils, but conservation agriculture (CA) offers an option for improving soil quality while increasing yields. However, the effect of CA can vary widely by agro-ecological context. This study evaluates this effect by comparing CA productivity trends in nine communities in the southern and central regions of Malawi. In each target community six experiments were established which applied three treatments: conventional ridge and furrow system with maize; CA with maize and CA with maize and a legume intercrop. Variability among communities was explored using principal component analysis. Site characteristics, seasonal effects, and cropping system (CA or conventional) were found to significantly impact maize grain yield. CA cropping systems had higher time-to-pond than conventional, suggesting improved water infiltration. Improvements in yield as a result of CA production systems were universal across all communities, despite vast differences in biophysical characteristics. However, these yield improvements were not immediately significant, becoming evident after three to five seasons.
  • A meta-analysis of long-term effects of conservation agriculture on maize grain yield under rain-fed conditions
    Rusinamhodzi, L.; Corbeels, Marc; van Wijk, M. T.; Rufino, M. C.; Nyamangara, J.; Giller, Ken (Springer, 2011)
    Conservation agriculture is often encouraged for use in rain-fed maize systems in Southern Africa. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to identify the factors on maize yield in these conditions. Twenty-six studies lasting over 5 years were analyzed. Results indicate much variability and dependence on multiple influences on yield, such as rainfall, mulch cover, soil texture, nitrogen inputs, and climate. Some results include: mulch cover in high rainfall areas leads to lower yields, well-drained soils are necessary in order to see improved yields over time, and higher nitrogen inputs are necessary to achieve higher yields. The authors conclude that conservation agriculture and its related techniques must be adapted to specific biophysical conditions in order to have a beneficial impact on maize yields.