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Improved fallows in Kenya

Year of publication 2013

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Document

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) In western Kenya, farmers are using improved fallows to build up soil fertility. Fallows can be single species or mixed species. A single-species fallow is established with only one plant species in the whole field. Typically, this system is recommended for species that grow fast and develop dense canopies that shade and kill weeds. Such species are Crotalaria grahamiana, Crotalaria paulina and Colopogoniummucunoides (mucuna). On the other hand, planting alternate rows of two or more different fallow species is a mixed fallow system. The species grow together without affecting each other. This practice is particularly good for slow-growing species that will not strongly compete.

Language English

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