Land preparation and maize-based multiple cropping on nitrogen content in two agroecologies

The study was conducted in two agro ecologies (rainforest and derived savanna) of Nigeria to determine maize grain yield and nitrogen (N) content under different land preparation (conventional plough and traditional slash and burn) and cropping systems (sole maize, sole cowpea, maize/cowpea, maize/pepper and maize/vegetable intercrops).

The study was a split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design replicated four times. Our data concluded that slash and burn method of land preparation significantly increased maize yield and residual N content over conventional tillage particularly when combined with maize-based multiple cropping system.