Since 1995, researchers have been working with farmers in central and eastern Uganda to evaluate the use of different legume cover crops and biomass transfer species to replenish soil fertility, among other purposes. Several 'best bet' options has been identified as a result of the studies conducted on how to integrate these species into farm production systems, where to grow them on the farm, and farmer evaluation. This series of extension brochures have been written for researchers, extension workers, and farmer-trainers for field use. The first brochure summarizes 'best bet options' and includes a decision tree on how to select the best species for any given purpose. The other brochures detail the management of the different 'best bet' species, the niches where they can be grown on the farm, and the advantages and disadvantages offered by each species.  

Keywords: Tropical soils; Cover plants; Legumes; Soil fertility; Soil conservation; Participatory research; Uganda; Teaching materials; Africa

Soil fertility decline, a major problem in many parts of the tropical and subtropical world, can be treated with relatively cheap and available organic materials such as legume cover crops, tree prunings, green manures, cattle manure, and crop residues. To compile and synthesize the large amount of "hard-to-get" information on the usefulness of such materials, the Organic Resource Database (ORD) was set up as a collaborative project in 1995 by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Programme (Kenya), the Imperial College at Wye (formerly Wye College), University of London, UK, and the KARI-Muguga Soil Chemistry Laboratory (Kenya). The ORD database now contains more than 2150 records, covering data on quality parameters for at least 32 plant families, of which 1585 records refer to legumes. Recent contributors to the database include CIAT (Latin America), the International Board for Soil Research and Management (Southeast Asia), and other collaborative projects in eastern and southern Africa. So far the main plant species covered in the database have been tropical legumes. Species have been identified at the accession/cultivar level where available. Plant materials are separated into the different plant components-leaves, stems, whole shoots, roots-which accounts for much of the variation found among data of the same species. To provide a fair basis of comparisons between different datasets, methods for several key quality parameters, like polyphenols, are given. Each entry gives full credit to the origin by giving the reference from where the data have been obtained. The database is aimed at researchers, extensionists, NGO's and ultimately farmers. In order to download the database you need to apply for a password from TSBF (tsbfinfo@cgiar.org). 

Keywords: Databases; Soil fertility; Soil biology; Green manures; Organic fertilizers; Plants; Legumes; Chemical composition; Soil management; Tropical soils; Africa, Latin America

This book compiles a series of papers describing several potential indicators of soil quality, emphasizing soil organic matter (SOM), for major Oxisols (or Latosols or Ferralsols). These marginal agricultural soils, found throughout the tropical world, cover about 98 million hectares of Brazil. Already, about 40 million have been degraded through various factors, including loss of SOM. To help stop or reverse this loss, a collaborative project on the dynamics of SOM was conducted with Brazilian farmers by CIAT, the University of Bayreuth (Germany), EMBRAPA (Brazil), and the Universidade Federal de Uberlandia (Brazil). Indicators include soil aggregate size, contents of various SOM components, microbial activity, and pesticide levels in soil. 231 p. 16.5 x 23.5 cm. 

Keywords: Soil management; Sustainability; Ferralsols; Silvopastoral systems; Soil chemicophysical properties; Land use; Soil organic matter; Brazil

ISBN:958-694-011-X

[Chemical methods for analyzing acid soils and forage plants] In five chapters, this manual offers a methodology for the chemical analysis of acid soils and tropical forage plants. 1985 (reprinted 1989). 83 p. 21 x 28 cm.  

Keywords: Feed crops; Soil testing; Acid soils

ISBN:84-89206-50-3

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