SIMLESA 2010/2011
Sustainable intensification of maize-legume cropping systems for food security in eastern
and southern Africa
Exploratory Trial Protocol – Lowland Agro-ecosystem
Objective: Validate “best-bet” options for the management of maize-legume systems under
conservation agriculture conditions in the Districts of Ncheu, Balaka and Salima. Conservation
agriculture is understood to imply surface crop residue retention and minimum soil
disturbance.
Locality:
Ntcheu – Nsipe EPA – Kafesa Section – Group Village
Balaka – Rivirivi EPA – Rivirivi Section – Group Village
Salima – Tembwe EPA – Tembwe West Section – Group Village
Number: 6 demonstration plots will be installed in the selected community.
Treatments:
1. Farmers check. Traditional land preparation (ridges) and maize management. Residues
may be grazed, removed, burned or incorporated into the ridges. If the farmer uses a
maize-pigeonpea intercrop, then the check will also have the intercrop. If the farmer
manages his/her maize as a sole crop then the check will have a maize sole crop.
2. Conservation Agriculture – Basins. No tillage, no burning. Basins (15cm x 15 cm x 15
cm) prepared well before the rains. Residue retained (mulch). Maize/Pigeonpea
intercrop.
3. Conservation Agriculture – Dibble stick seeded. No tillage, no burning. Previous year’s
ridges retained (but not reformed). Residue retained (mulch). Maize/Pigeon pea
intercrop.
4. Conservation Agriculture – Dibble stick seeded. No tillage, no burning. Previous year’s
ridges retained (but not reformed). Residue retained (mulch). Maize sole crop.
5. Conservation Agriculture – Dibble stick seeded. No tillage, no burning. Previous year’s
ridges retained (but not reformed). Residue retained (mulch). Maize-Groundnuts
rotation – maize in 2010/2011.
6. Conservation Agriculture – Dibble stick seeded. No tillage, no burning. Previous year’s
ridges retained (but not reformed). Residue retained (mulch). Groundnuts- Maize
rotation – groundnuts in 2010/2011.
Plot Management:
1. Plot size: Approximately 500m2 (25m x 20m) on each treatment plot *6 treatments=
3000m2 on each demonstration field. Where field size does not allow for five plots of
500m2 each, plot size should be reduced.
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SIMLESA 2010/2011
2. Duration: Demonstration plots are intended to be conducted on the same field and area
for at least four years. Participating farmers should be aware of this from the
outset.
3. Farmer agreements: Farmers should agree to host the demonstration plots for four
years and make a contribution equivalent to the cost of inputs to an agreed fund or
community activity. Input costs should be calculated with farmers before seeding, and
converted to Kg of grain equivalent. This is the amount of grain they should
contribute at the end of the season, and which should be sold and deposited in the
agreed account. Farmers should be encouraged to open an account with an initial
deposit, and contribute to that account. If farmers are not able to weed on time, then
labour should be hired to do the weeding, and this charged as another input, and the
equivalent amount of grain repaid at the end of the season.
4. Basin preparation (Treatment 2): Basins should be dug as soon as possible and well
before the start of the rains. If the land is sloping then loose soil from the basin should
be placed down the slope from the basin. Before the rains start, apply the basal fertilizer
in each basin and cover with some soil. When there is a rainfall that fills the basin after
Nov 1, maize should be seeded (4 seeds) in each basin and covered with the remaining
soil. These are thinned to 3 plants per station after crop emergence.
5. Variety:
a. Maize: Use a recommended mid-season maize variety
b. Pigeon pea: Use a short-season pigeon pea variety
c. Groundnuts: Use a locally recommended variety from local breeders
6. Seeding date.



Maize: Seed all plots as soon as possible after of the first effective rains, defined as
a rainfall greater than 30 mm, after the end of October. If Plot 1 is not ready
because of land preparation, Plots 2 -6 can be seeded before it, recording the
seeding date of each plot. Amount of seed required per trial is approximately 15kgs.
Pigeon pea: Seed at the same time as the maize.
Groundnuts: Seed at the same time as the maize.
7. Plant Populations:
a. Maize:
i. Treatment 1. Normal farmer spacing, planting pattern and plant
population but with the same fertilizer rates as the other treatments.
ii. Treatment 2-6: 75 cm between rows, 75 cm between basins, 4 seeds per
station thinned to 3 plants per station after emergence.
iii. Treatment 3 -6: 75 cm between rows, 25 cm between plants, 2 seed per
station thinned to 1 seed per station after emergence.
b. Pigeon peas as maize intercrop (in Treatments 2and 3): Seed between the
maize rows, 50 cm between stations, two seeds per station.
c. Groundnuts: 37.5 cm between rows, 30 cm between stations, 1 seed per station.
8. Basal Fertilizer:
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SIMLESA 2010/2011
Maize and groundnuts (basal fertilizer is not applied to the pigeonpeas):
100kg/ha or 2 bags/ha ( 23-21-0 (+4S) at seeding.
a. Treatment 1: Calculate the amount of fertilizer per 10m of row and make a
measure for this, or weigh the number of measures needed. Apply one measure
as evenly as possible to all the plants in each 10m of row. The grams of
fertilizer needed per 10m of row is the same as the row width (distance between
rows) in cm – e.g. for 75 cm rows, apply 75g fertilizer in each 10m of row; in
90 cm rows apply 90 g fertilizer etc.
b. Treatments 2: Apply 5.6 g basal fertilizer in each basin (75x75cm).
c. Maize in treatments 3-6: Apply 1.9g basal fertilizer alongside each plant station
since the stations are closer at 25cm spacing.
d. Groundnuts: Apply 1.1g basal fertilizer alongside each plant station.
9. Weed control:
Maize:
a. Treatment 1: Hand weed as necessary.
b. Treatment 2-6:
 Apply 2.5 l/ha glyphosate (Roundup) immediately after seeding and at least
four to six hours before rainfall. (Harness 3l/ha may also be applied in a
tank mix with the RoundUp to all CA treatments if desired/required.
Discuss with Dr. Isaiah Nyagumbo).
 After maize emergence, hand weed as necessary when weeds are 10 cm tall
or radius from the root for runners.
 Conduct late season ( towards or soon after harvesting) manual weed control
to make sure weeds do not set seed
10. Top-dressing:
Maize:
150 kg/ha or 3 bags/ha of urea, 3 weeks after planting
a. Treatment 1: Use 112.5 g per 10 m row urea and apply alongside each maize
plant station for 75 cm rows or 135g per 10m row for 90 cm rows
b. Maize in Treatments 2: Apply 8.4 g urea alongside each maize plant
station/basin.
c. Maize in Treatments 3 to 6: Apply 2.85 g urea alongside each maize plant
station.
Pigeon pea and groundnuts: no top dressing
11. Disease control: Serious outbreaks of disease should be identified, and controlled if
necessary using economic criteria (commercial criteria)
12. Pest control: If pests are observed in sufficient quantity to warrant control, then apply a
recommended pesticide. If there is only a slight incidence or renewed attack, then use
indigenous methods (ash, soil etc.).
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SIMLESA 2010/2011
Data:
1. Rainfall. Rain gauges will be installed on all sites and rainfall records taken daily at
approximately 8am. The measured rainfall is recorded on the date of measurement.
2. Initial soil conditions. One soil sample from each treatment (6 soil samples per site). This
should be of the 0-20cm. horizon and should comprise at least 10 sub-samples (work in
zigzag throughout the plot and take 10 samples from each treatment, mix them and take
one composite sample of about 500-1000g. Air-dry, label and store for analysis).
3. Soil type. Obtain local soil name (indigenous soil classification).
4. Residue levels. Record approximate percentage of ground cover on all plots at seeding
and note if any of the residues have been grazed. At the end of the season all residues
should remain on Plots 2 to 6. (The total biomass yield, less the grain, will be used as the
measure of residue amounts). Normal farmer practice with respect to residues will apply
to Plot 1.
5. Plant counts: Count the number of plants on the full length of the two central rows of
each plot approximately 3 weeks after planting. If gap-filling is to be done, then count
plants before gap-filling and 2-3 weeks later.
6. Labour and animal use. Very important.
 On ONE demonstration plot in the community the farmer(s) should record the time
taken (person hours or person minutes) for each operation (tillage, herbicide
application, fertilizer application, seeding etc.) on each of the six treatments. The
following data should be taken: number of adults, children and animals involved and
the time taken to complete the activity on the plot. Remember to include the time taken
for related activities e.g. fetching water for spraying. Instruct farmers how to take this
data and devise, with them, a format for data taking. Revise the data in their field book
at each monitoring visit, and copy their data onto the corresponding <<LABOUR
SHEET>>.
 On ALL trials in the community the time taken for each weeding should be recorded,
or the farmer should estimate how long it will take for one person to weed each plot. If
estimated, occasionally check these estimates by timing a person who weeds the plot.
Again, at each monitoring visit review the farmer’s field book and copy the data onto
the corresponding << WEEDING SHEET>>.
7. Prices. Collect the prices of all inputs used on each of the plots during the whole season.
Fill this information on the <<INPUTS SHEET>>. Together with the labour data this price
information will allow a Partial Budget Analysis of each site. You will be required to
present a partial budget of the demonstration plots at the next Evaluation and Planning
Meeting.
8. Farmer meetings and evaluations. At least five meetings should be held with the farmer
groups each season, as outlined below. Some of these meetings can be held with just the
farmer group, others with all the CA farmer groups in the district, and others can be at
general field days including farmers not directly involved in the project.
a. Pre-season planning meeting: Discuss the work for the coming season,
planting date and preparation for planting and any changes that will be made to
the plots.
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SIMLESA 2010/2011
b. Innovation platforms: In each community identify key players who will be part
of your innovations systems. It will be important to use the following criteria to
identify active players in your area:
i. Input market suppliers (fertilizer, chemicals, seed etc)
ii. Output market service providers (buyers for cereals, legumes etc)
iii. Information service providers (NGOs, extension, research)
iv. Farmer organizations
v. Financial institutions
vi. Any other you consider useful
Involve these players in your activities such as field days ,planning meetings farmer
field tours, and implementation of trials. Fill the details in the <<INNOVATION
PLATFORMS SHEET>>
c. Early season: About 3 weeks after planting (when plant counts are done).
Conduct a farmer evaluation of all plots and the farmer’s field alongside (See
instructions below for the farmer evaluations by scoring). Evaluate by scoring:
plant stand (establishment); weed control; crop growth and vigour; crop colour
and any other characteristics that THEY want to evaluate. Fill the outcomes on
the <<EARLY SEASON EVALUATION SHEETS>>.
d. Mid-season: At about tasseling stage. Conduct a farmer evaluation of all plots
and the farmer’s field alongside. Have the farmers evaluate by scoring: crop
growth (height); crop colour (vigour); crop uniformity, weed control and any
other characteristics that they want to evaluate. Fill the outcomes on the <<MIDSEASON EVALUATION SHEETS>>.
e. End of season. Just before or at harvest. Conduct a farmer evaluation of all plots
and the farmer’s field alongside. Have the farmers evaluate by scoring: cob
numbers, cob size, cob-filling (proportion of the cob with grain), weed control
and any other characteristics that they want to evaluate. Fill the outcomes on the
<<END OF SEASON EVALUATION SHEETS>>.
f. Season evaluation: Held after the harvest results have been calculated but
before the Annual Evaluation and Planning Meeting. The yield results and any
other pertinent data should be presented to the farmers and they should do a
Qualitative Evaluation of each treatment (what they like about it, what they
don’t like about it + any other comments on the demonstration plots). Copy
their data onto the <<QUALITATIVE EVALUATION SHEET>>.
9. Farmer evaluations by scoring: Divide the farmers into groups of about 5 people. If the
group is large you may want to divide them into groups with different characteristics
(men, women, younger people, older people etc.) If this is done record the characteristics
of each group on the evaluation sheet. First explain the procedure to the group, tell them
what you are going to ask them to evaluate and how, and ask them if there are other
characteristics that they would like to look at and compare in the plots. Collect the 2 or 3
most popular farmer characteristics and ask all groups to evaluate these as well. Ask each
group of farmers to rate each characteristic with a score of 1 to 10, where 1 is terrible and
10 is perfect. After the evaluation copy the results onto the <<QUALITATIVE
EVALUATION SHEET>> and leave the farmers with their own evaluations.
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SIMLESA 2010/2011
10. Monitoring. Plots should be visited by the responsible person once every two weeks.
Take notes on crop stage, crop development and any problems, and check the farmers’
notes and data.
11. Leaf samples for tissue analysis: At silking collect 20 “ear leaves” (the leaf in whose axel
the main cob is formed) at random from each of the 6 plots, being careful not to
contaminate them with soil or metal. Put these in a marked paper bags (District, Site,
Farmer’s name, Plot No.) and leave to air dry. These samples should be handed over to
CIMMYT staff to grind, and then they will be sent to Australia for analysis.
12. Termite damage counts: Just before harvest count the number of fallen plants due to
termite damage in the two central rows of each plot.
13. Grain and biomass yields.
For both maize and pigeon pea harvest, follow the harvest procedure for each crop.
14. Harvest of samples from the farmer’s field: Take five harvest samples of 2 rows x 5m
from the farmer’s field in which the demonstration plot is situated. Weigh the cobs and
record the weight of these cobs on the data sheet. There is no need for sub-samples on
these cobs from the farmer fields.
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SIMLESA 2010/2011
Harvest procedure:
Maize:
On all plots: 8 samples per treatment, each 5m x 2 row. Record the
distance between four rows at each sample site (very important to
get the exact row spacing!).
Ideally get an average of 3
measurements (H5)
Cut harvest samples at ground level.
H5
Maize/Pigeon pea rows
a) Count no of maize plants (H1) and no of cobs (H2) of each sample.
b) Weigh total maize stalks and leaves of each sample without cobs
(H3)
c) Weigh the cobs from each sample (H4)
d) Take 2 cobs at random from each sample (= 16 cobs), bulk them and weigh them
immediately (H6)
e) Take 1 plant (stalk) from each sample (from the 8 samples = 8 stalks)
f) Cut the stalks into small pieces and take a representative sub-sample of approximately
500-1000g, and weigh the sub-sample immediately and exactly (to the nearest 0.1 gram)
(H11)
g) Air dry the cob sub-samples and stalk sub-sample
h) Re-weigh the cobs exactly (to the nearest 0.1 gram) (H7)
i) Shell the 16 cobs and weigh the grain (H8) and the cores (H9)
j) Measure the moisture of the grain with the moisture meter (H10)
k) Re-weigh the stalk sub-sample exactly (to the nearest 0.1 gram) (H12)
Pigeon pea:
On all plots: 8 samples per treatment, each 5m x 2 rows.
Cut harvest samples at ground level
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
Count the number of pigeon pea plants in the net plot (H13)
Weigh all the plants including the pods (H14)
Remove the pods and weigh all the pods from the plot (H15)
Take pods from each sample of the treatment and make a sub-sample of between 500g and
1000g and weigh exactly (H17).
Take one stem from each sample of the treatment (=8 stems), cut them into pieces and take
a sub-sample of between 500 and 1000gr and weigh exactly (H21).
Air dry the pods and stem sub-samples (one each per treatment)
Re-weigh the pods exactly (to the nearest 0.1 gram) (H18)
Shell the grain and weigh to the nearest 0.1 gram (H19)
Measure the moisture of the grain with the moisture meter (H20)
Re-weigh the stalk sub-sample exactly (to the nearest 0.1 gram) (H22).
Groundnuts
On all plots: 8 samples per treatment, each 5m x 2 row. Record the distance between
four rows at each sample site (very important to get the exact row spacing!). (H5)
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SIMLESA 2010/2011
Pull up the groundnut plants unless the soil is dry in which case use a hoe to dig out the
pods.
k)
l)
m)
n)
o)
p)
q)
r)
s)
t)
Count the number of groundnutplants in the net plot (H13)
Weigh all the plants including the pods (H14)
Remove the pods and weigh all the pods from the plot (H15)
Take pods from each sample of the treatment and make a sub-sample of between 500g and
1000g and weigh exactly (H17).
Take one stem from each sample of the treatment (=8 stems), cut them into pieces and take
a sub-sample of between 500 and 1000gr and weigh exactly (H21).
Air dry the pods and stem sub-samples (one each per treatment)
Re-weigh the pods exactly (to the nearest 0.1 gram) (H18)
Shell the grain and weigh to the nearest 0.1 gram (H19)
Measure the moisture of the grain with the moisture meter (H20)
Re-weigh the stalk sub-sample exactly (to the nearest 0.1 gram) (H22).
Reports:
1. A “General Activity Report” on the supplied format should be made for each farmer
meeting and field day and sent to CIMMYT and DARs within one month of the event.
2. Data sheets for each demonstration plot should be kept up to date, and notes taken on
each visit to each plot.
3. Monthly reports should be submitted at the end of each month to the District and to
CIMMYT
4. Annual Reports to the Project will include the data sheets for each site, and a short
description of the major factors at each site that affect the interpretation of the data.
5. Short presentations of the data from the demonstration plots will be expected at the
Annual Evaluation and Planning meetings. This will include results from the harvest of
the plot (including pigeon pea harvest), economic analysis, labour data and a report of the
farmer meetings, farmer impressions and problems encountered during the season.
Field Plans.
A plan of the plots should be made for each demonstration. As plots will be installed on the
same area each year for at least three years, it is important to measure distances from the
corners of the demonstration area to some fixed objects, so that the plots can be correctly
situated in the following years. Mark the direction of north on each field plan and the position
of any fixed objects.
N.B. Measurements are shown only as a guide. Plot dimensions may be different from these,
and may differ from site to site.
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SIMLESA 2010/2011
25 m
1
2
3
4
5
6
T1
N
20 m
9