Improving Soil, and Saving Money, in Eastern Uganda (2/2)

Mucuna takes nitrogen from the air and places it in the soil, enriching it. Professor Charles Wortmann, one of the Nebraska researchers, notes that the plants also reseed themselves. Another method that the scientists suggest is to plant sorghum during one growing season, followed by cowpea the next.

Two other low-input ways to improve the soil involve using manure or nitrogen" class="hjdict" word="nitrogen" target=_blank>nitrogen and phosphorus as fertilizer" class="hjdict" word="fertilizer" target=_blank>fertilizer. And the fifth way that the study found may improve sorghum production is to reduce crop tillage.

The researchers say the best methods for farmers depend on their individual needs and their resources. For example, using animal waste may be best for farms that have the animals to supply it. But on farms that cannot get fertilizer, the best solution may be the method of rotating sorghum with cowpea.

The researchers tested 142 farms across three areas of eastern Uganda. The study took place from 2003 to 2005. The findings have just appeared in Agronomy Journal. Professor Wortmann and other scientists are continuing their research.