Evaluation of the trench‐bed method of vegetable growing in semi‐arid areas

Abstract

Layered fertility trenches when compared with conventional gardening methods showed little, if any, benefits in yield or water conservation on two soils over several planting seasons. While not conclusively discounting the fertility trench method, it brings into question the wisdom of introducing new methods that may not have clear advantages over traditional methods.

Notes

Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Agronomy, University of Fort Hare.

The authors wish to thank the Agriculture and Rural Development Research Institute (ARDRI) for its financial contribution and Mr JHG de Villiers for his assistance with statistical analysis.