Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Short-lived fruit crops such as yellow passion fruit or papaya (Fig. 3.6) can
be planted between rows, and after 2 or 3 years they will normally be at the
end of their production cycle. Plantain and banana could be also used, making
sure their shade does not af ect the small trees; after a reasonable time they
can be eliminated and the propagating material taken to another location.
Care has to be taken during the fi rst years not to allow any large plants to grow
close to the young fruit trees since they may check their growth and these
trees are your long-term priority. Pasture can be started, and the shadow of
the trees as they increase in size will eventually eliminate the pasture from the
more shaded areas under the canopy. This pasture, generally a legume, will
show little damage from this shade and can be used as a weed control crop.
The other alternative, discussed above under plant spacing, is to increase the
number of trees planted twofold to fourfold to increase early production with
no room left for an associated crop. All of these alternatives help the farmer to
increase his early returns. It is necessary to estimate the extra costs associated
with these alternatives against the extra income that could be expected, which
could be negative.
Ideally the best approach is to start the orchard with an associated crop
almost simultaneously, so that the initial land preparation serves both crops.
This approach can leave the soil undisturbed except for sowing the cover
crop at a later time, if needed. The associated crop should not host enemies
that could attack the fruit trees and should not produce substances that may
inhibit the tree growth. The fruit trees and the associated crop need a degree
of compatibility with respect to water needs or frequency of irrigation. An
associated crop can also complicate fi eld practices such as spraying and hence
are not recommended after the third or fourth year.
(a)
(b)
Fig. 3.6.
Short-lived crops such as beans planted between rows of young avocado
trees (a) and papaya and banana planted between rows of the future crop of
rambutan (b) provide income during the juvenile period of the main crop.
