Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 8.2. Mean growth increment (mm/month) and survival (%) of four fruit tree species
with fertilizer, compost manure amendment and dry-season irrigation at Makoka, Malawi
during the 33 months after establishment.
Species
Fertilizer
Manure
Irrigation
Height
Survival
Uapaca kirkiana
No
No
No
55.8
85
No
No
Yes
59.3
100
No
Yes
No
46.4
75
No
Yes
Yes
57.8
63
Yes
No
No
54.9
83
Yes
No
Yes
48.6
67
Yes
Yes
No
49.6
67
Yes
Yes
Yes
43.7
25
Sclerocarya birrea
No
No
No
91.9
100
No
No
Yes
102.8
83
No
Yes
No
93.4
100
No
Yes
Yes
94.4
69
Yes
No
No
92.9
83
Yes
No
Yes
98.3
75
Yes
Yes
No
98.3
75
Yes
Yes
Yes
90.2
83
Vangueria infausta
No
No
No
118.7
94
No
No
Yes
116.5
100
No
Yes
No
118.7
83
No
Yes
Yes
113.4
100
Yes
No
No
117.1
100
Yes
No
Yes
115.6
100
Yes
Yes
No
115.1
100
Yes
Yes
Yes
118.4
96
Mangifera indica
No
No
No
92.7
100
No
No
Yes
96.7
100
No
Yes
No
97.9
100
No
Yes
Yes
92.5
100
Yes
No
No
98.8
100
Yes
No
Yes
103.2
100
Yes
Yes
No
107.4
100
Yes
Yes
Yes
104.1
100
Source: F.K. Akinnifesi, J. Mhango, G. Sileshi and T. Chilanga, unpublished results.
amendment practices, except for the strategic application of irrigation of green
manure alone (F.K. Akinnifesi, unpublished results). The results of this study did
not support the commonly held assumption that the miombo indigenous fruit
trees, especially Uapaca kirkiana and Sclerocarya birrea , require fertilization,
manure and dry season irrigation to increase growth and survival. On the other
hand, V. infausta performed better when managed with a combination of light
dry-season irrigation and manuring. Similar results were reported in Botswana
for Strychnos cocculoides , Sclerocarya birrea and V. infausta (Mateke, 2003).
However, combining the use of manure, fertilizer and irrigation is not
recommended for any of the miombo fruit trees. Spacing of trees in the wild
 
Previous Page
Next Page
Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics: Domestication, Utilization and Commercialization
Search WWH ::




Custom Search
Home