Mehreteab Tesfai
Forsker
(+47) 998 76 368
mehreteab.tesfai@nibio.no
Sted
Ås - Bygg O43
Besøksadresse
Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Ås (Varelevering: Elizabeth Stephansens vei 21)
Forfattere
Emmanuel Oladeji Alamu Njoloma Joyce Akello Juliet Ngumayo Joel Ray Chazangwe Mehreteab Tesfai Chikoye David Nyoka Isaac Dale Lewis Sekhar Udaya NagothuSammendrag
Agroforestry practices improve soil health which in turn improves crop nutrient concentrations and quality. This study examined how the agroforestry tree Gliricidia sepium intercropped with soybean, groundnuts, or maize affects crop nutrient compositions. The study was conducted in five Zambian chiefdoms for three crop-growing seasons (2019–2022) on 13 farmer-led demonstration trial sites. Seven treatments were tested that included maize, soybean, and groundnut plots with and without Gliricidia interventions. Grain samples were analyzed for crop nutrient contents using standard laboratory methods. Results showed that the treatments significantly (P < 0.05) improved maize nutritional properties except for crude fiber, total carbohydrate, and metabolizable energy. G. sepium intercropping with maize and soybean decreased the antinutritional contents and displayed better functional qualities. All elemental mineral components (except potassium, calcium, and sodium) were higher in the Gliricidia + maize intercrop than in the control treatment. The Gliricidia+soybean intercrop had lower mean mineral concentrations than the control (soybean only) except for Mg, Cu, and Zn. The Giliricidia+groundnut intercrop significantly increased groundnut mineral components except for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Iron. It can be concluded that G. sepium intercropped with maize, soybean, and groundnuts significantly improved the crops’ nutritional quality.
Forfattere
Emmanuel Oladeji Alamu Michael Adesokan Segun Fawole Busie Maziya-Dixon Mehreteab Tesfai David ChikoyeSammendrag
Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp is a well-known agroforestry leguminous tree that provides multiple benefits in different agroecological zones. Its apparent versatility is seen in improving animal feed, cleaningenvironmental wastes, and healing inflammations. It was also found to have significant benefits in agroforestry due to its ability to enhance soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and green manure. However, this article reviews the use of Gliricidia sepium to improve soil fertility and crop agronomic and nutritional properties. Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct were the databases consulted for the relevant articles used in this review. Trees and leaves of G. sepium, either used as mulch, biochar, or intercropped, have enhanced soil fertility indicators, such as total soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, available phosphorus, pH, cation exchange capacity, and soil organic matter in different farming systems. Its immense positive performance in improving the yield of crops led to an economic advantage for low-income farmers. G. sepium can also lower the use of mineral fertilizer as its adoption grows, leading to a greener environment in the agricultural sector. The review concluded that there is a plethora of research on the effect of Gliricidia on maize yield enhancement; hence further investigations should be conducted on using Gliricidia sepium as a green fertilizer to improve yields and the nutritional properties of other crops.
Forfattere
Kiran Kumar Mohapatra A.K. Nayak R.K. Patra Rahul Tripathi Chinmaya Kumar Swain K.C. Moharana Anjani Kumar Mohammad Shahid Sangita Mohanty Saheed Garnaik Hari Sankar Nayak Simran Mohapatra Sekhar Udaya Nagothu Mehreteab TesfaiSammendrag
Introduction: Conventional rice production techniques are less economical and more vulnerable to sustainable utilization of farm resources as well as significantly contributed GHGs to atmosphere. Methods: In order to assess the best rice production system for coastal areas, six rice production techniques were evaluated, including SRI-AWD (system of rice intensification with alternate wetting and drying (AWD)), DSR-CF (direct seeded rice with continuous flooding (CF)), DSR-AWD (direct seeded rice with AWD), TPR-CF (transplanted rice with CF), TPR-AWD (transplanted rice with AWD), and FPR-CF (farmer practice with CF). The performance of these technologies was assessed using indicators such as rice productivity, energy balance, GWP (global warming potential), soil health indicators, and profitability. Finally, using these indicators, a climate smartness index (CSI) was calculated. Results and discussion: Rice grown with SRI-AWD method had 54.8 % higher CSI over FPR-CF, and also give 24.5 to 28.3% higher CSI for DSR and TPR as well. There evaluations based on the climate smartness index can provide cleaner and more sustainable rice production and can be used as guiding principle for policy makers.
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