Cassava-cowpea Intercropping in upland Northern Vietnam: Nodulation and mycorrhization, cassava and cowpea yields, and control of soil erosion
Thèse soutenue le 3 juin 2020 - Kasetsart University, Thailand
Nguyen Thanh Trung, visiting researcher at the Alliance under the mentorship of the Common Microbial Biotechnology Platform, defended his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Tropical Agriculture in Kasetsart University.
Entitled “Cassava-cowpea Intercropping in upland Northern Vietnam: Nodulation and mycorrhization, cassava and cowpea yields, and control of soil erosion, “ Nguyen’s research focused on the effectiveness of cassava-cowpea intercropping system on soil fertility, crop productions, economic benefits to upland farmers in Yen Bai Province. Following up on a preliminary investigation of cowpea natural nodulation in different study sites in 2017, experiments for this research was carried out in 2018.
Nguyen’s research found that the several native rhizobia strains isolated from cowpea nodules have significantly improved the performance and adaptability of cowpea in both field and greenhouse experiments improved soil fertility through increased biomass and improved nitrogen content and overall yield. These results also effectively showed that by intercropping cassava and cowpea can improve soil coverage, and reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses on both gentle and steep slopes. Additionally, intercropping the cowpea with cassava did not affect the yield of the latter making it a suitable option for local farmers to increase their income.
All in all, Nguyen’s dissertation opened opportunities to improve soil conservation and productivity, economic enhancement, and to integrate more intercropping systems as a step towards sustainable agriculture practices for local farmers in northern Vietnam.
