Cover and barrier effect of Cassia siamea hedgerows on soil conservation in semi-arid Kenya

Abstract

The contribution of Cassia siamea hedgerows and mulch to erosion control was evaluated on a 14% slope of a Lixisol/Alfisol at Machakos, Kenya. The four treatments, in 400 m² runoff-plots were: hedgerows with prunings applied as mulch to the crop, hedgerows and crops with prunings removed, mulch only applied to the crop and a control. The hedgerows were planted on the contour, 4 m apart and 0.25 m between plants. Maize and cowpea were planted in sequence. The control plot sustained an average annual water loss over 3 y of 31 mm runoff and soil loss of 19 t ha⁻¹. The best treatment, hedgerows with mulch, reduced losses to 13% and 2% of the control. Hedgerows without mulch reduced losses respectively to 23% and 7%, while mulch without hedgerows reduced losses to 41% and 17%. Soil loss was considerably influenced by one single storm in April 1990 due to the nature of that storm and to the susceptibility of the soil to erosion at that particular time. Differences in crop yield between treatments were small. The hedgerow treatments depressed cowpea yield slightly in less than normal rainy seasons but improved cowpea yields in wet seasons.