| Objectives |
- Diminish the need for nitrogen fertilizer
- Improve chemical, physical and biological soil properties
- Increase grain and fodder production |
| Features |
Rotation |
annual alternation of millet with cowpea |
| |
Plant spacing |
0.75 x 0.50 m with one or two plants per hole (26,660 and 53,330
pl/ha respectively) |
| |
Sowing date |
Sowing before mid July, preferably end of June |
| Performance |
Yield increase of 10-30% when sown at high density
Yield increase of 25-40% when sown before mid July
A cowpea rotation crop may apport 40 kg/ha nitrogen to the subsequent
millet crop |
| Application |
Area with annual rainfall between 500 and 700 mm |
| Restrictions |
Growing legume crops requires the roaming cattle to
be herded
Costs of crop protection for cowpea
Absence of land property rights may withhold farmers
to invest in soil fertility management |
| Recommended practices |
Seed treatment |
10 g Apron Plus for 2000 g seeds |
| |
Manuring |
application of 200 kg/ha PNT on millet preceding cowpea |
| |
Crop protection |
Application of insecticide Decis (1 l/ha) when flower buds appear,
at flowering and at pod formation |
