The soil fertility contribution of green manures to the productivity of Quinoa in marginal areas

Main Objective

To determine the soil fertility contribution of three (3) green manures (cowpea, melilotus, and sesbania) to Quinoa yields.

Specific objectives are to evaluate the:

• effect of clover, sesbania, and cowpea green manures to Quinoa yield.
• effect of mineral fertilizer and green manure yields of Quinoa.
• changes in carbon fluxes from green manure application

Experimental design

Experimental design: Strip plot with three replicates.

A. Vertical factor: Green manure species

1. GM1: Melilotus
2. GM2: Cowpea 
3. GM3: Sesbania

B. Horizontal factor: mineral fertilizer

1. FERT1: NPK  0:0:0
2. FERT2: NPK 25:18:20
3. FERT3: NPK 50:36:40

Test crop

1. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Green manure crops