Several studies assessing the effect of leguminous tree biomass such as Gliricidia sepium and Tephrosia vogelii on maize yield have been undertaken. There has been limited knowledge on the efficacy of leguminous tree biomass on maize yield when grown after a crop with a high nitrogen (N) demand. One such crop is cotton. The current study was undertaken with the objective of determining the efficacy of either gliricidia or tephrosia biomass application with or without inorganic fertilizer on maize yield cultivated after cotton and also after land fallowing. Significant variations in grain yield (P = 0.0038) were obtained in the second cropping season (2016/17) but not in the first cropping season (2014/15), except maize stover (P < 0.0016). Significant variations were also obtained during 2016/17 season with respect to maize cob yield (P < 0.0041) and stover yield (P = 0.0062). Grain yield was significantly higher where inorganic fertilizer was applied with gliricidia biomass than where inorganic fertilizer was applied alone. A similar trend was also observed during the first cropping season though not significantly different. Lower grain yield was obtained when cotton crop preceded maize crop indicating a need for a higher N fertilizer dose for maize crop cultivated after cotton. Application of a half dose of inorganic fertilizer together with gliricidia biomass showed high and steady grain yield over the yield obtained when inorganic fertilizer was applied alone. It is concluded that soil fertility amendment with inorganic fertilizer is needed after a cotton crop. Also, the use of a half dose of inorganic N fertilizer with gliricidia was effective, suggesting that a full dose with gliricidia biomass was rather surplus to the requirements for maize production. Our study shows that farmers can save nearly half of the inorganic N fertilizer required by maize under gliricidia-maize system.

中文翻译：

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用 Gliricidia sepium 和 Tephrosia vogelii 生物量土壤改良剂对马拉维 Makoka 玉米产量的影响

已经开展了几项评估豆科树生物量（例如 Gliricidia sepium 和 Tephrosia vogelii）对玉米产量影响的研究。豆科树生物量在高氮 (N) 需求作物后种植时对玉米产量的影响的知识有限。其中一种作物是棉花。本研究的目的是确定在有或没有无机肥料的情况下使用 gliricidia 或 tephrosia 生物量对棉花种植后和土地休耕后种植的玉米产量的功效。除了玉米秸秆（P < 0.0016）外，第二季（2016/17）的谷物产量变化显着（P = 0.0038），但第一季（2014/15）没有。2016/17 年度玉米芯产量也出现了显着变化（P < 0. 0041) 和秸秆产量 (P = 0.0062)。与单独施用无机肥料的情况相比，施用无机肥料和甘草生物量的谷物产量显着更高。在第一个作物季节也观察到类似的趋势，但没有显着差异。当棉花作物在玉米作物之前获得较低的谷物产量，表明在棉花之后种植的玉米作物需要更高的氮肥剂量。与单独施用无机肥料时相比，半剂量的无机肥料与甘草生物量的施用显示出高且稳定的谷物产量。结论是棉花种植后需要用无机肥改良土壤肥力。此外，将半剂量的无机氮肥与甘草一起使用是有效的，表明全剂量的 gliricidia 生物量对于玉米生产的需求来说相当过剩。我们的研究表明，在gillicidia-maize系统下，农民可以节省玉米所需的近一半的无机氮肥。