Publication Date
1993
Location
New Zealand
Description
In experiments to study the role of Crolalaria ochrroleuca (marejea) in traditional farming systems, the plant was used in the following way: (l) broadcast alone at a rate of 10 kg/ha of seed to determine dry matter (DM) yield, nutritive value and kg N/ha it can fix at different stages of growth, i.e., 2, 4, 6, 8, IO, 12, 14 and 16 weeks. (2) sown under after 3 weeks on alternate ridges with maize and maize alone as control. (3) the leaves at 10 weeks were harvested and supplemented to young sheep grazing 8 h/day. 12 male sheep were randomly allocated to 4 treatments: grazing only; grazing + 150 g , marejea; grazing + 300 g marejea; grazing+ marejea ad lib. The DM yields of marejea increased from 60 kg/ha at 2 weeks to 4670 kg/ha at 16 weeks. The crude protein content decreased from 38.8% at 2 weeks to 14.2% at 16 weeks. Marejea contributed about 60 kg N/ha, resulting in almost doubled maize yield compared with maize planted alone. The animals supplemented with marejea ad lib. had the highest gain of 69.1 g/day, while the unsupplemented group had the lowest growth rate of 34.2 g/day. These results are encouraging for farmers in rural areas, who cannot afford to buy fertilisers or feedstuffs.
Citation
Sarwatt, S V., "Potential of Crotalaria ochroleuca (marejea) in Traditional Crop and Livestock Production Systems in Tanzania" (1993). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 4.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session60/4)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Potential of Crotalaria ochroleuca (marejea) in Traditional Crop and Livestock Production Systems in Tanzania
New Zealand
In experiments to study the role of Crolalaria ochrroleuca (marejea) in traditional farming systems, the plant was used in the following way: (l) broadcast alone at a rate of 10 kg/ha of seed to determine dry matter (DM) yield, nutritive value and kg N/ha it can fix at different stages of growth, i.e., 2, 4, 6, 8, IO, 12, 14 and 16 weeks. (2) sown under after 3 weeks on alternate ridges with maize and maize alone as control. (3) the leaves at 10 weeks were harvested and supplemented to young sheep grazing 8 h/day. 12 male sheep were randomly allocated to 4 treatments: grazing only; grazing + 150 g , marejea; grazing + 300 g marejea; grazing+ marejea ad lib. The DM yields of marejea increased from 60 kg/ha at 2 weeks to 4670 kg/ha at 16 weeks. The crude protein content decreased from 38.8% at 2 weeks to 14.2% at 16 weeks. Marejea contributed about 60 kg N/ha, resulting in almost doubled maize yield compared with maize planted alone. The animals supplemented with marejea ad lib. had the highest gain of 69.1 g/day, while the unsupplemented group had the lowest growth rate of 34.2 g/day. These results are encouraging for farmers in rural areas, who cannot afford to buy fertilisers or feedstuffs.
