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Title: | Enhancing the status of indigenous vegetables through use of kraal manure substitutes and intercropping |
Authors: | Zobolo, Alpheus Mpilo Mkabela, Queeneth Nokulunga Mtetwa, David Kufakwami |
Year: | 2008 |
Periodical: | Indilinga: African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems |
Volume: | 7 |
Issue: | 2 |
Pages: | 211-222 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | South Africa |
Subjects: | crop diversification horticulture food crops indigenous knowledge |
Abstract: | Research for this paper was conducted at Richards Bay in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, during the 1997-1998 and 2001-2002 cropping seasons. It was motivated by the observation that indigenous food crops, including vegetables, seem to be suffering from low acceptability status in contemporary society in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal. The research was an attempt to contribute towards alleviation of the problem through increasing yields of the indigenous crops without extraordinary efforts. It used a participatory approach between researchers and rural women. A field investigation was carried out to study the impact of organic manure in agricultural systems yielding cassava, maize, beans and amaranthus (morogo). Manure application substantially increased crop yield. There was a significant reduction in seed yield of both maize and bean plants that were intercropped with cassava. Cassava intercropped with beans recorded a higher tuber yield than that of isolated cassava monocultures during the year 2002. There was a significant reduction in tuber yield of cassava due to intercropping with maize. These results suggest that indigenous vegetables should be cultivated on a large scale in order to solve the problem of the low acceptability status of indigenous foods. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract] |