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The effect of integrated use of Calliandra or maize stover with urea on Striga infestation and maize yield components was assessed in a field experiment carried out for five consecutive seasons on a clay loam Ferralsol in western Kenya. Urea and Calliandra or maize stover were combined to supply N at 75 kg ha-1 from both sources in 0:0, 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80, 0:100 ratios. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 12 treatments replicated four times was used with maize hybrid (WS 502) as a test crop. All the three ear traits (ears per plant, ear length, and ear diameter), kernels per row and grain yields were significantly higher under Calliandra (45 kg N ha-1) combined with urea (30 kg N ha-1) and Calliandra (30 Kg N ha-1) combined with urea (45 kg N ha-1) or maize stover (45 kg N ha-1) combined with urea (30 kg N ha-1) and maize stover (30 kg N ha-1) combined with urea (45 kg N /ha-1). Number of ears per plant was a major yield component and accounted for (R2=0.74) of the variation in grain yield under Striga. Stepwise regression analysis showed ears per plant to be the most important yield component under Striga infestation (R2=0.58) followed by kernels per row (R2=0.38).

Maize yield in Kericho County, Kenya is limited by infertile acidic soils. The effect of inorganic sources of nutrients and amendments; triple superphosphate (TSP), calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) and lime, were compared to a range of organic nutrient sourc es; Farmyard manure (FYM) of low and high quality, dried cow dung, goat manure, tithonia applied as green manure or dried, in a greenhouse and field experiment. Two soils