Cultivation systems using vegetation cover Improves Sustainable Production and Nutritional Quality of New Rice for Africa in the Tropics
Pierre Popice Kenmogne Nuemsi,
Libert Brice Tonfack,
Judith Mbogne Taboula,
Bilal Ahmad Mir,
Moise Roger Baleba Mbanga,
Godswill Ntsomboh Ntsefong,
Carine Nono Temegne,
Emmanuel Youmbi
Affiliations
Pierre Popice Kenmogne Nuemsi
Plant Physiology and Improvement Unit, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
Libert Brice Tonfack
Plant Physiology and Improvement Unit, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon; Corresponding author.
Judith Mbogne Taboula
Plant Physiology and Improvement Unit, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
Bilal Ahmad Mir
Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar 190006, India
Moise Roger Baleba Mbanga
Pesticide Residue Monitoring Unit, Food Quality Control Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Research Center, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, P.O. Box 13033, Yaounde, Cameroon
Godswill Ntsomboh Ntsefong
Plant Physiology and Improvement Unit, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon; Institute of Agricultural Research for Development-Specialized Centre for Oil Palm Research, Dibamba, P.O. Box 243, Douala, Cameroon
Carine Nono Temegne
Plant Physiology and Improvement Unit, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
Emmanuel Youmbi
Plant Physiology and Improvement Unit, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
Little is known about the impact of direct sowing under vegetation cover on the production and quality of New Rice for Africa (NERICA) on poor oxisol. In this study, two NERICA varieties (NERICA 3 and NERICA 8) were grown under tropical oxisol soil with very low nutrient contents. Four cultivation systems were used in completely randomized block design, including plowing (control), unplowed soil with dead vegetation cover (DVC), unplowed soil with live vegetation cover (LVC) and unplowed soil with mixed vegetation cover (MVC). DVC significantly improved the exponential growth of NERICAs. NERICA 3 was the more productive (2.16–3.05 t/hm2) compared with NERICA 8 (0.71–1.21 t/hm2). Cultivation systems improved the nutritional quality of NERICAs. The total protein content of NERICA 3 under DVC and MVC was 84.8% and 75.0% higher than control, respectively. The total soluble carbohydrate contents of NERICA 8 under LVC and MVC was 73.2% and 57.3% higher than control, respectively. These results suggested that conservative approach like direct sowing on unplowed soil with vegetation cover systems can improve the nutritional quality of rainfed NERICAs and their sustainable production under poor oxisol soil in sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: direct sowing, sustainable production, nutritional quality, rice, vegetation cover, yield, protein, soluble carbohydrate content
