The shrub species Tithonia diversifolia is widely distributed along farm boundaries in the humid and subhumid tropics of Africa. Green biomass of tithonia has been recognized as an effective source of nutrients for lowland rice (Oryza sativa) in Asia and more recently for maize (Zea mays) and...

Efforts to overcome declining soil fertility on smallholder farms in western Kenya must be consistent with the reality of low utilization of inorganic fertilizers. Likewise, organic inputs alone cannot supply adequate nutrients. The use of two organic resources, Tithonia diversifolia (tithonia) and ...

For many soils of the tropics, inputs of organic materials are essential to sustain soil fertility and crop production. Research in the quality of organic inputs, a key factor controlling rates of decomposition and nutrient release, continues to guide selection and use of organic materials as...

Nutrient balances were constructed for the soil, vegetation, and litter compartments of 6 planted leguminous fallows and natural secondary vegetation during 53 months on a previously cultivated Ultisol (Acrisol) in the Peruvian Amazon. The planted fallows included: Centrosema macrocarpum, Pueraria...

A major tenet of agroforestry, that trees maintain soil fertility, is based primarily on observations of higher crop yields near trees or where trees were previously grown. Recently, objective analyses and controlled experiments have addressed this topic. This paper examines the issues of tree...

The accumulation of biomass and litter and changes in vegetation structure by six managed leguminous fallows, planted in a previously cultivated Ultisol (Acrisol) near Yurimaguas in the Peruvian Amazon, were compared with those of naturally established secondary vegetation. The planted fallows...

Information on decomposition and nitrogen release patterns of tropical legumes is scarce despite the important role of legumes in agroforestry systems. Decomposition patterns of leaves of Inga edulis, Cajanus cajan and Erythrina sp. were determined by a litterbag study in an alley cropping...

Six years of agricultural research conducted primarily at the Yurimaguas Research Station (Peru) in the Amazon Basin is summarized. Alley cropping and managed fallows are evaluated as alternatives to shifting cultivation, the predominant farming system in the region. Species including Inga edulis,...