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Coconut based homegardens: mechanisms of complementarity in growth resources sharing among homegarden trees in the humid tropics

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Title Coconut based homegardens: mechanisms of complementarity in growth resources sharing among homegarden trees in the humid tropics
 
Creator C. B. PANDEY
MEHMUNA BEGUM
S. K. SINGH
DIPANKAR SAHA
 
Subject Complementary relations, growth resources, niche separation, nutrient uptake, root distribution
 
Description Not Available
Complementarity among tree species in sharing the growth resources is a key to
the sustainability in crop productivity. However, information on how the species separate their
niches above- as well as below the ground and develop complementarity in sharing the growth
resources is poorly known for the homegardens of humid tropics. This study reports
aboveground growth resource (sunlight) sharing, and pattern of fine root biomass distribution,
and uptake of N, P and K by the coconut tree (main crop) and its intercrops (clove and nutmeg
trees) in a coconut-clove and a coconut-nutmeg plantation in the South Andaman Islands of
India. The main crop and its intercrops have the same geometry in the plantation as they have
in homegardens of the islands. The study included three tree species (coconut, clove and
nutmeg), and five distances (0.75, 1.50, 2.65, 3.80 and 4.55 m) from the coconut towards its
intercrops. The coconut intercepted 30-32 % sunlight above the canopy of its intercrops. The
intercrops, in turn, restricted their root distribution up to 2.65 m from their trunk. The coconut,
however, extended its roots quite close to its intercrops. In addition to its own niche, the coconut
mined nutrients from underneath of its intercrops, but the intercrops utilized the nutrients only
from their niches. These observations suggest that trees in homegardens separate their niches
horizontally below the ground and, thereby, develop complementarity in the growth resource
sharing. Above the ground, the main crop, however, intercepts light and imposes partial shade
on its shade-loving intercrops. This information has bearing for managing above- and belowground growth resource sharing in agroforestry systems.
Not Available
 
Date 2019-07-22T11:27:50Z
2019-07-22T11:27:50Z
2014-01-01
 
Type Research Paper
 
Identifier 0564-3295
http://krishi.icar.gov.in/jspui/handle/123456789/21643
 
Language English
 
Publisher International Society for Tropical Ecology