Research Article | Published: 01 December 2002

Litter production and nutrient return in agroforestry system

P. Shanmughavel and K. Francis

Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products | Volume: 9 | Issue: 3/4 | Page No. 176-178 | 2002
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2002-60ZWZ2 | Cite this article

Abstract

A field study was conducted to investigate the litter production and nutrient return behaviour of Bamboo in an agroforestry system. The combined crop of bamboo plantation intercropped with Pigeon pea produced higher quantity of litter than pure bamboo stand alone. The litter fall for all ages of plant indicated bimodel pattern with a principal peak in the winter and another in the late summer. Of the total annual litter production, leaf-litter accounted for 58% and twig-litter 42%. The annual litter production was 13.5 t ha-1 in pure bamboo stand and 15.7 t ha-1 in the above agroforestry system. With regards to nutrients highest concentration of N, P, Ca and Mg was in leaf-litter. In twig litter maximum concentration of K was observed. On an annual basis, 89, 6, 78, 42 and 49 kg ha-1 (Pure bamboo stand) and 113, 9, 106, 52 and 60 kg ha-1 (Agroforestry system) of N, P, K, Ca and Mg respectively were returned through litter fall. Maximum amount of all the nutrients were returned through leaf-litter and lowest through twig litter.

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How to cite

Shanmughavel, P. and Francis, K., 2002. Litter production and nutrient return in agroforestry system. Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products, 9(3/4), pp.176-178. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2002-60ZWZ2

Publication History

Manuscript Published on 01 December 2002

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