Effect of bahia grass as a cover crop on the growth of mango trees, and soil fertility.
Chang M. T.
Author Affiliation: Tainan District Agricultural Improvement Station, Section 1 Tainan, Taiwan.
: 113-120
Abstract : More than 80% of mango trees in Taiwan are grown on sloping ground, which is subject to soil erosion. In a trial conducted from 1986 to 1988, a Paspalum notatum cv. A44 cover crop was planted in an orchard of 8-year-old mango cv. Iwin trees on sloping ground. The cover crop was planted one year before the start of the trial. Cover crop treatments included no cutting, cutting once a year (Apr.), cutting twice a year (Apr. and Oct.) or cutting continuously throughout the year to a height of 15 cm. Unweeded plots were used as the controls. In addition, the soil around the trees was inoculated with endomycorrhizal spores at the start of the trial. Cutting twice a year was the best treatment, increasing mango tree girth by 52%, soil organic matter content by 48% and soil K content by 359 kg/ha, compared with controls. Cutting regularly to a height of 15 cm resulted in the greatest increase in the endomycorrhizal fungus population (52%, 18 months after inoculation). The susceptibility of the mango trees to anthracnose (mainly caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides [Glomerella cingulata]) at various developmental stages was not correlated with cover crop height.