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<p>In semi-arid regions of southern Africa, smallholder farmers grow maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) under rain-fed systems, even though their yields remain extremely low due to poor soil fertility and frequent droughts. Integrating water harvesting and legumes into these cropping systems can improve yields. The objective of this 3-year replicated field experiment was to investigate the benefits of Mbili-mbili maize - legume strip cropping in combination with subsurface water retention technology (SWRT). The Managing Beneficial Interactions for Legume Intercrops (MBILI) consists of two rows of maize with two rows of a single legume species, which were tested in randomized plots with or without SWRT in Marange, Zimbabwe. The treatments comprised of (i) sole maize (SM), (ii) MBILI systems comprising maize + cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i>) (M + CP) and (iii) maize + beans (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>) (M + B); and Mbili-mbili systems comprising: (iii) maize + cowpea + bambara nuts (M + CP + BN); (iv) maize + cowpea + groundnuts (M + CP + GN); and (v) maize + beans + cowpea (M + B + CP). Generally, there were no significant differences between average maize grain yields in SWRT and no SWRT, and in sole maize (4.1 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) and the strip-cropped systems (3.2–3.9 t ha<sup>-1</sup>). However, during the low rainfall season (2021/22), sole maize had significantly higher maize grain yields than strip cropped maize. MEY were; 1280, 1230, 1358, 1625, 1206 and 1330&#xa0;kg ha<sup>− 1</sup> for Sole maize, M + CP, M + CP + BN, M + CP + GN, M + B and M + B + CP, respectively. Although Mbili-mbili strip cropping had similar maize equivalent yields (MEY) to sole maize, it offered dietary diversity and high quality biomass (haulms). The MBILI and Mbili-mbili strip crops also had higher returns on investment than sole maize, incomes ranged between $323–1487. We concluded that MBILI and Mbili-mbili intercropping increased crop yields, crop and dietary diversity, and incomes with no penalties on the maize crop.</p>

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Benefits of the Mbili-mbili maize-legume intercropping systems under subsurface water harvesting technology (SWRT) on sandy soil in the semi-arid Marange region of Zimbabwe

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月15日

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  • George Nyamadzawo,
  • Sandra M. Madamombe,
  • Libère Nkurunziza,
  • Mollen Mhangara,
  • Ingrid Öborn,
  • Ngonidzashe Chirinda,
  • Michael W. Kinyua,
  • Job Kihara

摘要

In semi-arid regions of southern Africa, smallholder farmers grow maize (Zea mays L.) under rain-fed systems, even though their yields remain extremely low due to poor soil fertility and frequent droughts. Integrating water harvesting and legumes into these cropping systems can improve yields. The objective of this 3-year replicated field experiment was to investigate the benefits of Mbili-mbili maize - legume strip cropping in combination with subsurface water retention technology (SWRT). The Managing Beneficial Interactions for Legume Intercrops (MBILI) consists of two rows of maize with two rows of a single legume species, which were tested in randomized plots with or without SWRT in Marange, Zimbabwe. The treatments comprised of (i) sole maize (SM), (ii) MBILI systems comprising maize + cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) (M + CP) and (iii) maize + beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) (M + B); and Mbili-mbili systems comprising: (iii) maize + cowpea + bambara nuts (M + CP + BN); (iv) maize + cowpea + groundnuts (M + CP + GN); and (v) maize + beans + cowpea (M + B + CP). Generally, there were no significant differences between average maize grain yields in SWRT and no SWRT, and in sole maize (4.1 t ha-1) and the strip-cropped systems (3.2–3.9 t ha-1). However, during the low rainfall season (2021/22), sole maize had significantly higher maize grain yields than strip cropped maize. MEY were; 1280, 1230, 1358, 1625, 1206 and 1330 kg ha− 1 for Sole maize, M + CP, M + CP + BN, M + CP + GN, M + B and M + B + CP, respectively. Although Mbili-mbili strip cropping had similar maize equivalent yields (MEY) to sole maize, it offered dietary diversity and high quality biomass (haulms). The MBILI and Mbili-mbili strip crops also had higher returns on investment than sole maize, incomes ranged between $323–1487. We concluded that MBILI and Mbili-mbili intercropping increased crop yields, crop and dietary diversity, and incomes with no penalties on the maize crop.