Increasing yields of cereals: benefits derived from intercropping with legumes and from the associated bacteria

Abstract

Low yield of staple crops such as maize sorghum, pearl millet, and legumes in southern Africa poses a threat to food security, especially in the semi-arid regions of Botswana. The low crop productivity is caused by pests, low fertility, low soil moisture, and high temperatures possibly resulting from climate change. On-farm measurements of N 2 fi xation were done in groundnut and Bambara groundnut. Bacteria isolated from their root nodules were assessed as inoculant for cereals under greenhouse condi-