Sustainable tree mixtures: optimum species combination for a tropical alfisol of southern India.
Swaminathan C.
Author Affiliation: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India.
Biological Agriculture & Horticulture 18 : 259-268
Abstract : A five-year [date not given] field experiment was conducted in Pudukkotai, Tamil Nadu, India, to obtain information which will facilitate the scientific development of tree mixtures in an agroforestry system with two fruit trees, mango (Mangifera indica) and sapota (Achras zapota [Manilkara zapota]) and three fast growing forest trees, eucalyptus (Eucalyptus tereticornis), casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia) and leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala). Observations on biometrics and edaphic parameters were recorded. The results revealed that growth of sapota can be enhanced by 17% when grown in mixture with leucaena while co-planting of casuarina had no influence on sapota. A reduction of 12% in the growth of mango was observed when co-planted with casuarina or leucaena. Eucalyptus was incompatible with mango and sapota, which were suppressed by the former. The present investigation identified two tree mixtures, sapota + leucaena and sapota + casuarina, for raising in tropical alfisol for a sustainable income.