title: Dry Matter Production, Nutrient Cycled and Removed, and Soil Fertility Changes in Yam-Based Cropping Systems with Herbaceous Legumes in the Guinea-Sudan Zone of Benin.
abstract: Traditional yam-based cropping systems (shifting cultivation, slash-and-burn, and short fallow) often result in deforestation and soil nutrient depletion. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of yam-based systems with herbaceous legumes on dry matter (DM) production (tubers, shoots), nutrients removed and recycled, and the soil fertility changes. We compared smallholders' traditional systems (1-year fallow of Andropogon gayanus-yam rotation, maize-yam rotation) with yam-based systems integrated herbaceous legumes (Aeschynomene histrix/maize intercropping-yam rotation, Mucuna pruriens/maize intercropping-yam rotation). The experiment was conducted during the 2002 and 2004 cropping seasons with 32 farmers, eight in each site. For each of them, a randomized complete block design with four treatments and four replicates was carried out using a partial nested model with five factors: Year, Replicate, Farmer, Site, and Treatment. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the general linear model (GLM) procedure was applied to the dry matter (DM) production (tubers, shoots), nutrient contribution to the systems, and soil properties at depths 0-10 and 10-20 cm. DM removed and recycled, total N, P, and K recycled or removed, and soil chemical properties (SOM, N, P, K, and pH water) were significantly improved on yam-based systems with legumes in comparison with traditional systems.
authors.affiliation: Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB), P.O. Box 2128, Calavi, Benin.
authors.forename: Raphiou
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3840-5487
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maliki
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques de l'Université d'Abomey-Calavi (FSA/UAC), P.O. Box 01-526, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: Brice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sinsin
authors.affiliation: Centre Béninois pour l'Environnement et le Développement Economique et Social (CEBEDES), P.O. Box 02-331, Cotonou, Benin.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Floquet
authors.affiliation: Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cornet
authors.affiliation: Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), UPR Hortsys, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malezieux
authors.affiliation: Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vernier