Potential of some Neotropical Albizia species as shade trees when replanting cacao in Ghana
The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana has embarked on studies to support the replanting of cacaoTheobromacacaoLin areas, which previously carried the crop but are now degraded. A key component of the studies is toidentify fast growing tree species capable of ameliorating degraded soils and ultimately providing suitable shadefor cacao. A screening trial involving ten Albizia species in a randomized complete block design experiment wastherefore initiated in 1996 to evaluate growth rate, leaf biomass production, carbon and nitrogen contents anddecomposition rates. Over a four-year period,Albizia adenocephala,A. guachapele,A. niopoides,A. plurijuga,A. samanandA. tomentosashowed promising results, with 12.2 to 14.5 m height and between 12.4 and 22.4 cmstem diameterDBH. Crown diameter ranged between 6.1 and 10.1 m, with light transmission through crownsaveraging 50-65% of full sunlight throughout the year. Half-yearly leaf biomass production ranged between 3and 10 t ha–1, yielding between 0.07 and 0.32 t N ha–1from each coppicing. Half-life for carbon and nitrogenrelease from leaves of the six species averaged 31.0 and 32.0 days respectively. This short-term release of C andN is an indication of the quality of the leaf prunings. These species can provide early ground cover, appropriateshade, N and organic matter requirements for re-establishing cacao on denuded and degraded lands
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| Format: | biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
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Amsterdam (Países Bajos): Springer,
2003
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| Subjects: | THEOBROMA CACAO, FERTILIDAD DEL SUELO, GERMINACION, ADAPTACION, GHANA, ARBOLES DE SOMBRA, PRODUCCION DE BIOMASA, DEGRADACION, |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026097423351 |
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