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Pruning and green manure from Alnus acuminata improve soil health, and potato and wheat productivity in Rwanda

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Abstract

Alnus (Alnus acuminata Kunth) has been widely promoted under climate change mitigation and adaptation programs in the East African highlands. However, information is lacking on the impact of pruning management and green manure (GM) application on soil health and the productivity of associated crops. Using a large suit of soil quality indicators, crop growth and yield measurements, this study identified appropriate combinations of alnus pruning levels and GM application for sustainable intensification of potato (Solanum tuberosum) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) production in alley cropping with Alnus. This study compared six treatments, namely, (1) sole crops of potato or wheat (control), (2) sole crop + GM, (3) 75% pruning, (4) 75% pruning + GM, (5) 90% pruning and (6) 90% pruning + GM. In all treatments potato and wheat were grown in rotation. The best treatments were the 75% pruning + GM and 90% pruning + GM, which significantly differed from the control in soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (P), exchangeable calcium (Ca) contents, the N:P and C:P stoichiometric ratios and the soil structural stability index (SSI). These treatments increased soil pH by 5–6%, SOC by 74–82%, TN by 58–68%, exchangeable Ca by 76–81%, total P by 17–21%, the N:P ratio by 40%, C:P ratio by 43–51%, SSI by 71–79%, potato tuber yields by 17–21% and wheat yields by 21–32% over the control. Therefore, it is concluded that pruning and application of alnus green manure can significantly improve soil health and crop productivity on degraded soils in the study area.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the technical support of the World Agroforestry (ICRAF) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) through the ‘Trees for Food Security project’ which established the long term trial where this study was carried out.

Funding

This research was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) under the Grant no. 57376093.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya

    Athanase R. Cyamweshi & Shem Kuyah

  2. Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), P.O. Box 516, Kigali, Rwanda

    Athanase R. Cyamweshi

  3. World Agroforestry (ICRAF), UN Avenue, Gigiri, P.O. Box 30677-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Catherine W. Muthuri

  4. World Agroforestry, Rwanda Country Office, RAB Head Quarter, P.O. Box 5016, Kigali, Rwanda

    Athanase Mukuralinda

  5. College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (CAVM), University of Rwanda, P.O. Box: 210, Musanze, Rwanda

    Rumanzi S. Mbaraka

  6. College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Gudeta W. Sileshi

Authors
  1. Athanase R. Cyamweshi
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  2. Catherine W. Muthuri
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  3. Shem Kuyah
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  4. Athanase Mukuralinda
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  5. Rumanzi S. Mbaraka
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  6. Gudeta W. Sileshi
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Contributions

A.R. Cyamweshi contributed in the research conception and design, estabished the experiments, collected and analyzed data and prepared the first draft of the manuscript; S.Kuyah and G.W. Sileshi contributed in data analysis and the write up of the manuscript; A.Mukuralinda and C.W. Muthuri contributed in the research conception and design, provided review comments to improve the manuscript

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Correspondence to Athanase R. Cyamweshi.

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Cyamweshi, A.R., Muthuri, C.W., Kuyah, S. et al. Pruning and green manure from Alnus acuminata improve soil health, and potato and wheat productivity in Rwanda. Agroforest Syst 98, 269–282 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-023-00904-5

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