ICRISAT Archival Report 2006 - The seedlings of success in the ...

potential for use by smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas. Central to the package are the planting basins which
measure approximately 15 cm long, 15 cm deep and 15cm wide. These basins are prepared during the dry season
when demands on family labour are relatively low. They are dug without having to plough the field, thus
overcoming the animal draught power shortages. Basin planting works on the principle that rather than spreading
nutrients and water uniformly over the field, it concentrates these in the basins to maximize yield for a given level of
inputs. When the rains begin, the basins collect rainwater and ensure good germination and a healthy crop stand,
even if the rains are erratic. The basin is combined with other crop/soil management practices, such as the spreading
of crop residues over the field to protect the top soil against erosion, or with manure and/or fertilizer. The basin
technology was evaluated under smallholder farmer management for two cropping seasons from 2004 to 2006 in dry
areas of southern and western Zimbabwe. Compared to ploughing, basins significantly increased maize grain yield
across eight districts in the first season (Figure 9B4). In the second season, data from 435 farmers across 10 districts
showed that basins gave higher maize grain yield and water use efficiency compared to ploughing. Yield increases
for districts ranged from 15 to 72% with a mean of 36%. The basins yield advantage was maintained regardless of
the soil fertility amendment used (Table 9B1). The basin technology has potential for adoption by smallholders
despite the challenges farmers face with respect to labour for basin preparation and weed control, as well as
achieving soil cover using crop residues.
Table 9B1. Maize grain yield (kg ha -1 ) and water use efficiency (kg ha -1 /mm total rainfall) response to
planting basins and ploughing for 10 districts of southern and western Zimbabwe as influenced by soil
fertility amendment used, 2005/06 season
Fertility amendments used Tillage n Grain
yield
Water use
efficiency
Basal inorganic + Top dressing Basins 108 2676 a 3.97 a
Plough 56 2118 b 3.11 b
Manure + basal inorganic + top
dressing
Basins 140 2485 a 3.56 a
Plough 19 1678 b 2.47 b
Manure + top dressing Basins 125 2408 a 3.63 a
Plough 105 1705 b 2.72 b
Top dressing only Basins 16 2165 3.31
Plough 84 1780 2.63
Sed
Fertility amendments
268.6*** 0.424***
used
Tillage 278.3*** 0.439***
Fertility amendment
275.3ns 0.434ns
used *tillage
Within each fertility management category, tillage means with different superscripts differ (p