Plantain production in an alley cropping system on an Ultisol in southeastern Nigeria

Plantain requires mulching for high yields and sustained productivity. Mulching is, however, labor-intensive and requires extra land for production. An experiment was conducted to determine the potential of alley cropping to supply in situ mulch for plantain production. Foliage from hedgerows of Dactyladenia barteri, Alchornea cordifolia, Senna siamea and Gmelina arborea were compared with mulch from elephant (napier) grass (Pennisetum purpureum) carried into plots that served as the no-tree control. Plantain performed best with P. purpureum mulch because this mulch shortened its fruiting cycle and gave the highest yield (17.8 t ha-1). Among the hegderow species, D. barteri mulch produced the best results because the plantain produced 85% as much bunch yield as P. purpureum mulch. However, relative yields of plantain were 77,72 and 66% for A. cordifolia, S. siamea and G. arborea, respectively. Due to differences in cycle length, cumulative yield after two years was highest in P. purpureum (35.4 t ha-1). After two years, cumulative relative yields were 51 % or less for A. cordifolia, S. siamea and G. arborea in contrast with 66% for D. barteri. D. barteri mulch reduced diurnal soil temperature fluctuations and moisture depletion as well as P. purpureum mulch. High diurnal soil temperature fluctuations, high weed infestation and superficial rooting of the hedgerow species were observed with A. cordifolia, S. siamea and G. arborea treatments which resulted in poor performance of plantain. Although P. purpureum mulch gave the best results, its use is subject to serious constraints such as the high labor requirement for cutting, transportation, application and management in addition to the extra land required for its production which cannot be justified by the higher yield. D. barteri is therefore recommended as an in-situ mulch for plantain production in this acid Ultisol

Effect of banana leaf pruning on banana and bean yield in an intercropping system in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Banana-bean intercropping systems are used by many small-scale farmers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to maximize land use and intensify crop production. A study was conducted at the INERA Mulungu research station to determine the effect of banana leaf pruning on banana (Musa spp.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, Fabaceae) yield. The East African highland cooking banana ‘Barhabesha’ was established in April 2007 at a spacing of 2 by 3 meters. The treatments consisted of different levels of banana leaf canopy coverage (5 leaves [5L] and all leaves [ALL]) and leguminous crop varieties (the bush bean ‘Ngwaku Ngwaku’ and the climbing bean ‘AND10’) which were planted in the banana plot. Bean yields were assessed during 4 cropping seasons (2008B, 2009A, 2009B and 2010A). Banana leaf pruning did not have a significant effect on time from planting to bunch harvest in either legume intercropping treatment. Banana leaf pruning did not have a significant effect on banana yield (32.3 and 28.6 t/ha for ALL; 32.2 and 26.3 t/ha for 5L for climbing and bush bean intercropping respectively). The average banana bunch weight was higher in the climbing bean (ALL: 19.4 / 5L: 19.4 kg) than in the bush bean intercropped plots (ALL: 17.2 / 5L: 16.1 kg). A reduction in the number of banana leaves (i.e. from all leaves to 5 leaves) enhanced bean yield for both legume types. Under the all leaves treatment, climbing bean yield (358 kg/ha) was slightly but not significantly higher than bush bean yield (335 kg/ha). However, it was significantly higher for the 5L treatment (512 kg/ha against 362 kg/ha). Results from a gross margin analysis of banana-bean intercropping and cropping season effects are also presented