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

Table 1

Cropping calendar of yam-based cropping systems with herbaceous legumes and short fallow in the 2002-2003 and 2004-2005 cropping seasons.

Dec.; Jan.

Feb.

March

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

2002 or 2004 cropping seasons

T0

Natural fallow of Andropogon gayanus

Slashing and biomass incorporation (ridging)

TM

Land slashing and ploughing

Maize planting, NPK application, and weeding

Weeding and urea application

Maize harvesting

Slashing and biomass incorporation (ridging) in furrow

TMA

Land slashing and ploughing

Maize planting, NPK application, A. histrix planting, and weeding

Weeding and urea application

Maize harvesting

Slashing and biomass incorporation (ridging) in furrow

TMM

Land slashing and ploughing

Maize planting, NPK application, and weeding

Mucuna planting

Weeding and urea application

Maize harvesting

Slashing and biomass incorporation (ridging) in furrow

2003 or 2005 cropping season

T0

Seed yam planting, mounds capping with mulch material; yam staking, and weeding

Weeding

Weeding

Yam harvesting

TM

Seed yam planting, mounds capping with mulch material; yam staking, and weeding

Weeding

Weeding

Yam harvesting

TMA

Seed yam planting, mounds capping with mulch material; yam staking, and weeding

Weeding

Weeding

Yam harvesting

TMM

Seed yam planting, mounds capping with mulch material; yam staking, and weeding

Weeding

Weeding

Yam harvesting

T0: one-year fallow-yam rotation; TM: maize-yam rotation; TMA: Aeschynomene histrix/maize intercropping-yam rotation; TMM: Mucuna pruriens/maize intercropping-yam rotation.