The effect of post-harvest crop cover on soil erosion in a maize-legume based cropping system in Gatanga, Kenya

摘要

The study was conducted on farmers' fields in Gatanga Division, Thika District of central Kenya with the aim of assessing the effect of selected legume cover crops on soil erosion especially at the onset of the rain season when the soil is bare and of this on erosion - induced nutrient losses. The four systems tested consisted of the following: pure stand of maize (Zea mays) (T 1), maize intercropped with Mucuna pruriens (T2), maize plus Vicia benghalensis (T3), and maize plus Lablab purpureus (T4). Measurements taken included runoff, soil loss, percent crop cover and analysis of nutrients in the original soil and eroded sediments.