Intensification of maize-legume systems Regis Chikowo, Wezi Mhango, Edward Mzumara, Chiwimbo Gwenambira, Rowland Chirwa, Sieg Snapp

Malawi 15million people Agricultural based economy Area: 118,000km2 Insert map Malawi 15million people Agricultural based economy Area: 118,000km2 Small land holdings

Insert map A geography lesson We are around here!

Labour productivity and gender issues… Labour productivity and gender issues….who is likely to have made these ridges????

Labour productivity…soil fertility

Legumes to harness N2 to organic form

Between farm Contrasts

Potential pitfalls for intensification across nutrient gradients…

Basic crop production ecology …

Yield-determining factors

Yield-determining factors

Responding to different farm/socioeconomic circumstances … Interrogating circumstances for Intensified mineral fertilizer use Rotational systems Intercropping systems Doubled-up legume systems

When land is too constraining.. Increasing land productivity is a must We have to go an extra mile with our innovations Beyond the ‘low hanging fruits’

The doubled-up legume technology Intercropping two grain legumes Legume –legume intercrops (double legume) based on different crop growth habits /architecture one of the crops starts growth slowly Both crops planted at their optimum spacing (as in sole cropping – additive intercropping design) two grain crops harvested soil fertility benefits larger The pigeonpea/groundnut doubled up system the best

Doubled-up legumes – intercropping 2 legumes that have little inter-specific competition for resources

When groundnut is almost mature, pigeonpea begins vigorous growth

Then flowers and pods form

Understorey groundnut has since been harvested….!!!

Unfertilized vs NP fertilizer

Unfertilized vs NP fertilizer

Maize yields are reduced with legume intercropping compared to sole maize under well fertilised conditions

Intraspecific competition – yield penalties in doubled up systems

Sole and doubled-up legumes are highly beneficial to maize in sequence!

Climbing beans: possibilities in Linthipe

Pigeonpea integration…

Sustainability indices (metrics)

Aboveground biomass inputs

Measuring the ‘hidden half’ Complex Laborious Expensive Time consuming Destructive sampling

Belowground biomass assessment PIGEONPEA PRODUCTIVITY INTRO METHODS RESULTS DISCUSSION Belowground biomass assessment 0 - 20 cm 1. The roots from different depths were cleaned with distilled water, dried to constant weight in an oven at 75 C and ground to a fine powder 20 - 40 cm 40 - 60 cm

Belowground biomass: 0-20 cm layer

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