Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Greener Journal of  Agricultural Sciences Vol. 3 (4), pp. 254-261, April 2013.

 ISSN: 2276-7770 

Research Paper

Manuscript Number: 021213450

 

Effect of spacing and cutting management on survival, growth and biomass production of Moringa oleifera intercropped with maize on-station at Gairo inland plateau and Ruvu, Coast region - Tanzania

 

¹Ezekiel Edward, ¹Shabani  A.O. Chamshama,

*Mathew A. Mndolwa and ¹Yonika M. Ngaga

 

¹Faculty of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Sokoine University of Agriculture,

P. O. Box 3010, Morogoro, Tanzania.

*Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, P. O. Box 95, Lushoto, Tanzania.

 

*Corresponding Author’s Email: mathewmndolwa @yahoo. com

Abstract:

Evaluation of the effect of spacing and pollarding height of Moringa oleifera intercropped with maize on growth, foliar and stems biomass production, maize yields and soil fertility improvement was conducted at Gairo (semi arid inland plateau) and Ruvu (sub-humid coastal area). Replicate trials were planted in a split-split plot design arranged in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Results showed that maize grain weights as affected by different spacing and pollarding treatments differed significantly (P<0.05) in third season at Gairo site while at Ruvu site nothing was harvested in second and third seasons other than stover. During first season at Gairo site, grain weight ranged from 818.90 kg/ha to 1343.19 kg/ha, while for Ruvu site grain weight ranged from 1702.13 kg/ha to 2451.69 kg/ha. Biomass decreased with increasing spacing in both sites. Increase in soil pH, available Nitrogen, available P and Electrical conductivity in two years were observed at Gairo. Moringa showed varied but good performance in the two sites and pollarding height (50 cm) and a spacing of 2.5x2.5 m led to more maize production. Pollarded foliar biomass was inadequate to improve soil fertility. Intercropping with maize was not detrimental to Moringa biomass production.
 
Key words: Moringa, intercropped, maize, soil fertility, biomass.

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