Climate-adapted companion cropping increases agricultural productivity in East Africa
Climate-adapted companion cropping increases agricultural productivity in East Africa
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DOI：
10.1016/j.fcr.2015.05.022
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发表时间：
2015-08-15
影响因子：
5.8
通讯作者：
Khan, Zeyaur R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Midega, Charles A. O.;Bruce, Toby J. A.;Khan, Zeyaur R.
谷类作物是撒哈拉以南非洲数百万农民的主要粮食和经济作物，其生产受到寄生的马刺草（striga hermonthica）、茎螟虫和土壤肥力差的严重制约。一种被称为“推拉”的伴生种植系统克服了这些限制，同时为小农提供了额外的土壤肥力和牧草效益。考虑到气候变化造成的当前和未来潜在的干旱化，为了确保该技术的长期可持续性，已经确定了耐旱作物，Brachiaria cv mulato（边境作物）和greenleaf desmodium（间作），并将其纳入“适应气候的推挽”。本研究的目的是评估新系统的有效性(1)在综合控制striga和stemborer害虫方面和(2)在提高玉米谷物产量方面，并评估农民对该技术的看法，以评估进一步采用的潜力。在肯尼亚、乌干达和坦桑尼亚的干旱地区，395名采用了这项技术的农民被随机选择参加了这项研究。每个农民都有两个地块，一个是适应气候的推拉，一个是玉米单一作物。每亩地收集了条带体出苗数、茎螟虫危害比例、株高和籽粒产量的季节性数据。同样，农民对这项技术的好处的看法也通过半结构化的问卷进行了评估。与玉米单作区相比，在适应气候的推拉试验中，玉米植株遭受的曲曲菌和干腐菌损害显著减少：曲曲菌和干腐菌分别减少了18倍和6倍。同样，玉米株高和产量也显著提高。结伴种植的平均产量高出2.5倍。农民认为，适应气候变化的推拉方法在减少曲螺旋体侵染和蒸煮病害发生率、提高土壤肥力和玉米产量方面具有显著优势。这些结果表明，该技术在控制杂草和害虫方面是有效的，并在农民条件下增加产量。因此，它为改善该地区的粮食安全、刺激经济增长和减轻贫困提供了机会，同时使农业更能适应气候变化。(C) 2015年作者。Elsevier B.V.出版
Production of cereals, the main staple and cash crops for millions of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is severely constrained by parasitic striga weed Striga hermonthica, stemborers and poor soil fertility. A companion cropping system known as 'push-pull' overcomes these constraints while providing additional soil fertility and forage grass benefits to smallholder farmers. To ensure the technology's long-term sustainability in view of the current and further potential aridification as a consequence of climate change, drought-tolerant crops, Brachiaria cv mulato (border crop) and greenleaf desmodium (intercrop), have been identified and incorporated into a 'climate-adapted push pull'. The aims of the current study were to evaluate effectiveness of the new system (i) in integrated control of striga and stemborer pests and (ii) in improving maize grain yields, and to evaluate farmers' perceptions of the technology to assess potential for further adoption. 395 farmers who had adopted the technology in drier areas of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania were randomly selected for the study. Each farmer had a set of two plots, a climate-adapted push pull and a maize monocrop. Seasonal data were collected in each plot on the number of emerged striga plants, percentage of maize plants damaged by stemborers, plant height and grain yields. Similarly, farmers' perceptions of the benefits of the technology were assessed using a semi-structured questionnaire. There were highly significant reductions in striga and stemborer damage to maize plants in the climate-adapted push pull compared to the maize monocrop plots: striga levels were 18 times lower and stemborer levels were 6 times lower. Similarly, maize plant height and grain yields were significantly higher. Mean yields were 2.5 times higher in companion planting plots. Farmers rated the climate-adapted push pull significantly superior in reducing striga infestation and stemborer damage rates, and in improving soil fertility and maize grain yields. These results demonstrate that the technology is effective in controlling both weeds and pests with concomitant yield increases under farmers' conditions. It thus provides an opportunity to improve food security, stimulate economic growth, and alleviate poverty in the region while making agriculture more resilient to climate change. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.