Analysis of the growth and phenology of corn (Zea mays L.) associated with mountain immortelle (Erythrina poeppigiana) (Walp.) O.F. Cook at different tree densities
Associating crops with fast growing nitrogen-fixing trees which are periodically pruned so that nutrients contained in the foliage become available to crops is considered a promising means of increasing and sustaining agricultural producjtivity for limited-resource farmers in the tropics a field trial with three replications, was set up at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Training Center (Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza in Turrialba, Costa Rica (9° 53'N, 83° 34'W, 602 meters above sea level), in 1985. Maize at a population of 40,000 plants/ha was associated with mountain immortelle at spacings of 6x1, 6x2, 6x3, and 6x4 m (166, 833, 555, and 416 trees per hectare respectively). In the seventh maize crop (1989), various determinations were made on the growth and phenology of the maize. As tree populations decreased, maize stalk diameter increased and internodal length increased. However, there were no statistical differences in biomass production by the maize at different tree densities. The results showed that plants nearest the rows of trees had the thinnest stems and the greatest internode lengths. Biomass was also slightly reduced but the differences were not statistically significant. There were no effects on the phenology of the crop attributable to either tree spacing or distance from the trees. Commercial grain production averaged 3.1 t/ha in the 6x2, 6x3 and 6x4 spacings and did not differ among treatments or with increasing distance from the tree rows. At the 6x1 spacing and in the fertilized control plot without trees, yields were only 2.5 t/ha.
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | biblioteca |
| Published: |
Turrialba (Costa Rica)
1991
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| Subjects: | ARBOLES DE SOMBRA, CULTIVOS ANUALES, CULTIVO EN FAJAS, NUTRIMENTOS, ZEA MAYS, ERYTHRINA POEPPIGIANA, COSTA RICA, |
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