Skip to main content

Effect of Legume Cover Crops on Soil Moisture and Orange Root Distribution | Chapter 03 | New Perspectives in International Plant and Soil Research Vol. 1

Citrus root system plays an important role in physical tree support and anchorage into the soil. They also provide a mean of collection and transport of water and nutrients essential for tree growth and production. Inadequate rain is a major hindrance to soil moisture and crop root growth in arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya. A field study was conducted in Ganda, Vitengeni and Matuga locations within the coastal lowland region of Kenya from May, 2012 to April, 2015 to evaluate the effects of three leguminous cover crops on soil moisture retention and orange tree feeder root distribution. Treatments included mucuna (Mucuna pruriens), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), dolichos (Lablab purpureus) cover crops and unplowed fallow of natural vegetation as a control. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) and each treatment was replicated four times. Data collected were: soil particle size distribution, soil moisture content and orange dry root density. The data collected was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using procedures of R statistical analysis version 3.3.2. Mean separation was done using the least significant difference (LSD) value at 5% level of significance. Results indicated that mucuna, dolichos and cowpea cover crops significantly (P=.05) increased soil moisture content. The mucuna treated plots recorded an increase in SMC by 39.0% and 33%, dolichos increased by 34.4% and 28.9% and cowpea by 33.6% and 27.3% at soil depth 0-20 and 20-40 cm, respectively, over their own controls. Mucuna and dolichos significantly (P=.05) increased orange feeder root distribution. Mucuna treated plots supported the highest increase in orange root distribution by 36.5% and 31.8%, dolichos increased by 30.2% and 34.1% while cowpea increased by 18.3% and 18.8% in soil depth 0-20 and 20-40 cm respectively compared to their own control. It can be concluded that the three legumes; mucuna, cowpea and dolichos cover crop improved soil moisture retention and root distribution in orange production. The overall ranking was as follows: mucuna > dolichos > cowpea. From the finding, the use of mucuna and dolichos cover cropping system is recommended as a soil management practice aimed at improving the orange productivity. Further evaluation on the long term (>3 years) effects of cover crops on soil moisture and orange root distribution under different agro ecological zones is suggested.


Author(s) Details

Dr. J. M. Mulinge
Department of Crop Sciences, Pwani University, P.O.Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya.

Read full article: http://bp.bookpi.org/index.php/bpi/catalog/view/61/692/556-1
View Volume: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/npipsr/v1
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Prospective Study about Safety and Efficacy of Perioperative Lidocaine Infusion | Chapter 09 | New Horizons in Medicine and Medical Research Vol. 8

 Opioids cause clinically significant side effects such as respiratory depression, immunosuppression, muscle rigidity, negative inotropism, nausea, vomiting, hyperalgesia, urine retention, postoperative ileus, and drowsiness. Perioperative opioids are a major contributor to the United States' and other countries' opioid epidemics. Non-opioid analgesics, particularly lidocaine, are becoming more common for perioperative use as a result of this. A total of 185 adult patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: control group I (105 patients) [fentanyl group] or group ii (80 patients) [opioid-free anaesthesia group]. Lidocaine 1.5 mg/kg bolus followed by 1.5 mg/kg/h infusion intraoperatively, and 1.5-2 mg/kg/h infusion for 2-8 hours postoperatively were given to patients in both groups at anaesthetic induction. Intraoperatively, both groups received analgesic adjuvants such as diclofenac 75 mg, paracetamol 1 gm, and mgso4 30-50 mg/kg. If the mean arterial pressure (map)
Post a Comment
Read more

A Brief Study of Middleware Technologies: Programming Applications and Management Systems | Chapter 15 | Novel Research Aspects in Mathematical and Computer Science Vol. 1

  Many platforms, services, applications, hardware, and operating systems are connected through the middleware layer. Because the middleware layer abstracts much low-level complexity and makes applications and software systems portable, it allows disparate systems to interface and function together in harmony. Middleware technologies enable software engineers to swiftly construct software systems and applications, allowing developers to focus on more important tasks. This chapter examines several types of middleware systems and discusses middleware capabilities, middleware operation, middleware's function in cloud-based systems, and the best middleware platforms to use. Middleware systems are widely utilised and can be found in practically any software system or application. Middleware programmes provide as a link between many sorts of systems and protocols. They serve as a mechanism for various systems. To successfully exchange information, it runs on a variety of operating system
Post a Comment
Read more

Patients’ Perspective of Acute Post-operative Pain Management: A Multicentre Survey of Tertiary Hospitals in Maharashtra, India | Chapter 08 | New Horizons in Medicine and Medical Research Vol. 8

 When postoperative pain is adequately controlled, patients' satisfaction and patient-related outcomes (PROs) increase. Understanding the patients' perspective is crucial since it supports in the formulation of improvement strategies. Because wrong attitudes and assumptions might block pain alleviation, patients' attitudes and beliefs are critical. As a result, a multicenter study of patients' attitudes, beliefs, experiences, and satisfaction levels with acute postoperative pain management was done in Maharashtra's tertiary hospitals. In addition, the responses were examined to evaluate if the Acute Pain Service (APS) resulted in improved patient outcomes and satisfaction. A 13-item questionnaire adapted from previous studies was used to capture patients' experiences with postoperative pain treatment. The responses of 179 patients are included in the study. The findings revealed that 91.6 percent of patients experienced postoperative pain, with 75.5 percent
Post a Comment
Read more