Shrubby pigeon peas transform Malawi farming:

First-generation perennial grain legumes

Wezi Mhango1, S. Snapp2, G.Y.K. Phiri1 and R. Chikowo2

1Lilongwe University of Agric & Natural Resources. Malawi.2Michigan State University

2014 AAAS Meeting, Chicago, IL. Feb 13-17, 2014

Malawi

Elevation Zones &

Agricultural Development Divisions

KarongaADD

MzuzuADD

KasunguADD

Lilongwe ADD

MachingaADD

BlantyreADD

ShireValley

ADD

Mzuzu

Lilongwe

Blantyre

Zomba

Kasungu

Karonga

Mchinji

Chitipa

Salima

Lower Shire Valley:

< 200 m elevation

Lakeshore, Middle &

Upper Shire: 200 - 760 m

Highlands:

> 1300 m

Mid-elevation Upland

Plateau: 760 - 1300 m

T. Benson; 10/98

MALAWI

Nsanje

SalimaADD

Mzimba

Mangochi

15million people

Area: 118,000km2

Small land holdings

Agricultural based economy

Farming systems

Smallholder farmers, <ha land holding size

Cropping systems dominated by annual crops

Production: Rainfed, unimodal pattern (Nov/Dec-March)

Long dry season: soil degradation, no photosynthesis

Nov/Dec-March

Extended Dry season

July-Oct/Nov May-June

Rainy Season

Broad Challenges

Degraded soils

Climate variability

Pests

Labor

Two types of legumes

Annuals - for foodPerennials - agroforestrysoil fertility & fuel wood

Bean, peanut & soybean Gliricidia & tephrosia

A third type of legume

Annuals Perennials

Semi-perennials

Pigeonpea(Cajan cajanus)

Pigeon pea

Short lived shrub, 1.5 - 4m

Semi perennial grain legume

Deep rooted

Drought tolerant

Wide adaptation

Slow initial growth rates

Pigeon pea

Nodulates with indigenous Rhizobium, Fix N

Yield: 2.5 t/ha

Provisioning Food

FodderFuel wood

Yield stability

Regulating Soil cover

Moisture retentionSoil fertility

Multiple uses:

Farmers can choose varieties to suit their needs

Short Medium Long

Days to maturity

120-150 150-180 190-270

Grain high Med-high Low-med

Soil fertility low Med-high High

Intercropping and rotations

Cereal -Legume intercrop Legume-legume

Ratooning practice increase PP biomass,

savings on seed

Ratooning

Pigeon pea extends land cover from 4 to 10 months or

more; and conserves soil moisture

Rainy Season Dry Season

Pigeon pea fix atmospheric N and improve soil fertility

Region N fixed (kg/ha) Source

Africa 20-140 1

India 69-100 2,3

India 13-69 4,5

Southern Africa 46-118 1,6,7

Southern Africa 20-60 1

West Africa 53-96 8

Source: 1=Adu-Gyamfi et al., 2007; 2=Kumar Rao et al., (1987); 3=Werner, (2005); 4=Kumar Rao et al., (1981); 5=Katayama et al., 1995; 6=Mhango et al 2010, 7=Njira et al., 2012; 8=Egbe et al., 2007;

Inclusion of PP in cropping systems increase grain yield

of maize

Cropping system

yield increments (%)

Source

PP/MZ +58 1

GNPP/MZ +60 1

PP/MZ +57 2

PP/MZ +38-50 3

MZ+PP/MZ +171-205 4

PP/MZ +207-309 4

1= Mhango et al., 2010. 2= Daniel and Ong (1990); 3=Abunyewa and Karbo (2004); 4=Egbe et a., 2007

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

MZ/MZ MZ/MZ+24kg

N/ha

PP/MZ+24 kg

N/ha

Yie

ld (

t/h

a)

Mhango et al.,

Fig 1: Maize yield under continuous maize and PP/maize rotations, northern Malawi

Pigeon pea diversified cropping systems support higher

maize yields overtime

Pigeon pea cropping systems for adaptation to climate

change

Climate change and variability predictions in southern Africa

Dependence on rain fed agriculture

Cereal-PP cropping systems and adaptation to climate change

Low risk of failure in Maize-PP systems in the face of climate change than

continuous maizeZombwe

Temperature increase over baseline (°C)

Maiz

e y

ield

(kg/h

a)

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Base

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R+

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R75

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R90

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Treatment

● MZ24

● MZ92

● Rot24

Soil

● HF

LF

Ollenburger et al.,

Yes, we can improve soil fertility and food security !

Acknowledgements

Mc Knight Foundation CCRP

USAID Funded Africa RISING Program

Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation

africa-rising.net

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