<div style="text-align: justify;">The allelopathic potential of aqueous leaf extracts of Flemingia semialata Roxb. a leguminous herbs was used to examined its effect on growth and yield of Zea mays L. and Oryza sativa L. at different concentrations in laboratory bioassays. The extracts show both inhibitory and stimulatory effect on the test crops. Significant stimulatory effects were observed in 50 and 75 per cent concentration for root length and 25 per cent for shoot length in maize. Stimulatory effect on the root length of rice were observed at lower concentrations, however inhibitory effect were observed on the shoot length whereby the inhibitory effect increases with increase in the concentration of extracts. The inhibitory effect on biomass yield was observed at lower concentration in maize but inhibitory effect was more pronounced in rice at higher concentrations. Aqueous leaf extract of Flemingia semialata Roxb. performed better in maize than in rice.&nbsp;</div>

Evaluation for performance of maize and rice on aqueous leaf extracts of Flemingia semialata Roxb. -underutilized legumes in Mizoram, India

Background: A comprehensive agronomic investigation was undertaken to assess the impact of different conservation farming practices on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays) within alley cropping systems established using Flemingia semialata and Senna timoriensis as companion woody hedgerow species in Sakawrtuichhun, Mizoram, during 2021 (April-July) and 2022 (April-July) for two seasons respectively. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: A factorial randomized block design with eight treatments (T0-T7) and three replications was used, with alleys spaced at 3 m having a plot size of 2 m x 3 m. Treatments comprised various combinations of tilling, crop residue mulching and crop rotation with the application of pruned biomass from the hedgerow species. 
&nbsp; 
Result: The data analysis revealed significant variations (p&lt;0.05) among treatments and maize performance. Maize exhibited superior growth and yield parameters in Flemingia semialata alleys compared to Senna timoriensis alleys. Treatment T3&nbsp;(Tilling + crop residue as mulch + crop rotation) demonstrated the highest grain yield and benefit-cost ratio among all treatments. The findings conclusively suggest Flemingia semialata alley cropping system combined with crop residue application as mulch, conventional tilling and crop rotation by a legume crop as an effective agroforestry approach for optimizing maize yields under the specific agroecological conditions of the study area.

Growth and Yield Performance of Maize in Flemingia semialata Roxb. ex W.T. Aiton and Senna timoriensis (DC.) H.S. Irwin and Barneby Alleys under Different Conservation Farming Practice