| dc.description.abstract | In Uganda just like other tropical areas, natural fallows, which were traditionally used in order to
improve soil fertility, are no longer possible due to high population pressure. Many studies have
underlined the advantages of legume cover crops to ensure the sustainability of plant
productivity. However, the relationship between maize intercrops and macro faunal abundance
and their effect on maize yield are not completely understood. The characterisation of biological
diversity in in different agricultural ecosystems can help in understanding the dynamics of soil
quality and the changes in soil nutrients. For this purpose, the number, abundance, weight and
biomass of earthworms, termites, centipeds and millipedes were determined under different
maize-legume intercrops. The four treatments were: (1) maize bean intercrop (MB); (2) a maize
soya bean intercrop (MS); and (3) a maize in pill push intercrop with Desmodium intortum and
Braceria molato (PP) and a control of maize in monocrop (MM). The macro faunal population in
the MB plots was higher than in other plots for earthworms, millipedes and centipedes. However,
the MM plots had a significantly high termite abundance compared to the intercropped maize
plots (p<0.05). Maize yield was highest in the MS plots and linear regression analysis for the
relationship of yield and earthworm abundance was positively significant (p<0.05).
Understanding of the modifications in biodiversity in maize land use are necessary for
sustainable management of management of agro ecosystems. | en_US |
