Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T08:07:30.328Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Relative efficiency of 32P uptake in a banana-based intercropping system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2006

Sajan Kurien
Affiliation:
College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), Post 680 656, Kottayam, Kerala state, India
Paickattumana Suresh Kumar
Affiliation:
College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), Post 680 656, Kottayam, Kerala state, India
Nerukavil Varieth Kamalam
Affiliation:
College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), Post 680 656, Kottayam, Kerala state, India
Pallacken Abdul Wahid
Affiliation:
College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), Post 680 656, Kottayam, Kerala state, India
Get access

Abstract

Introduction. A study was conducted in India to assess the efficiency of 32P uptake and the feasibility of intercropping using land-use efficiency parameters in a banana-based intercropping system. Materials and methods. Absorption of 32P applied to plants in five-crop, two-crop and sole-crop systems involving banana Musa AAB (‘Mysore’), ginger (Zingiber officinalis Rosc.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.) and elephant yam (Amorphophallus campanulatus Blume.) was studied in field trials. The experiment was conducted for two years. During the first year, the main crop was planted during October, the main planting season for banana in India, and the intercrops were planted in early May of the next year. In the second year, both the main crop and intercrops were planted in May. Results. Radiophosphorus applied in the active root zone of one of the component species in the mixed crop system was found to be absorbed not only by the treated plant but also by the neighboring plants. Absorption by banana was prevalent. Differential effects of competition were manifested as observed by the relative uptake of 32P. Lower relative uptake of 32P was observed in the main crop banana when simultaneous planting of intercrops was done. Ginger and turmeric were not affected in relation to planting at different stages of the main crop, whereas cassava and elephant yam showed lesser relative 32P uptake when planted later, confirming that different crops in the mixed crop system react differently. Conclusions. The efficiency of different crops in terms of uptake varied with the system of planting. The higher relative efficiency of 32P uptake in a multiple cropping system points to an improved efficiency of uptake and higher dry weight on a per plant basis. It confirms the efficiency and feasibility of the cropping system. Economic analysis emphasizes the concept and proves the viability of the system.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© CIRAD, EDP Sciences, 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abbott, M.L., Frawley, L.J., A review: Radiotracer methods to determine root distribution, Env. Exp. Bot. 31 (1991) 2529.
Atkinson, D., The distribution and effectiveness of roots of tree crops, Hortic. Rev. 2 (1980) 425470.
Bohm W., Methods of studying root systems, Springer, Verlag, Berlin, 1979.
Nethsinghe D.A., Broeschardt H., Root activity pattern of some tree crops, IAEA, Tech. Rep. Ser., Vienna, Austria, 1975.
Cooper, C.S., Ferguson, H., Influence of a comparison crop upon root distribution of alfalfa, curds foot trefoil and orchard grass, Agron. J. 56 (1964) 6366. CrossRef
Ragat, D., Suha, M.N., Rai, K.K., Studies in phosphorus utilization in intercropping maize with green gram using 32P as tracer, J. Nucl. Agric. Biol. 13 (1984) 138140.
Eagleshan, A.R.J., Ayanaba, A., Rao, R.V., Eskew, D.L., Improving the nitrogen nutrition of maize by intercropping with cowpea, Soil Biol. Biochem. 13 (1981) 169171. CrossRef
Lawton, K., Tesas, M.B., Kurien, B., Effect of rate and placement of superphosphate on yield and P absorption of legume, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 18 (1954) 428432. CrossRef
Donald, C.M., Competition among plant and pasture plants, Adv. Agron. 15 (1963) 1118. CrossRef
Gliesman S.R., Plant interactions in multiple cropping systems, in: Francis C.A. (Ed.), Multiple cropping systems, McMillan Pub. Co., New York, USA, 1986.
Trenbath B.R., Plant interactions in mixed communities, in: Papundick R.I., Sanchey G.B., Triplett A. (Eds.), Multiple cropping ASA Spl. 27 ASA, Crop Sci. Soc. Am. (CSSA) and Soil Sci. Soc. Am. (SSSA), Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 1976.
Willey, R., Inter cropping – its importance and research needs. Part l, Competition and yield advantages. Part 2, Agronomy research approaches, Field Crop Abstr. 32 (1979) 110 and 73–85.
Willey, R., Resource use intercropping systems, Agric. Water Manage. 7 (1990) 25231.
Palaniappan S.P., Sivaraman K., Cropping systems in the tropics. Principles and basic concepts, New Age Int. Priv. Co. Ltd. Publ., New Delhi, India, 1996.
Ashokan, P.K., Wahid, P.A., Sreedharan, C., Relative uptake of 32P by cassava, banana, elephant foot yam and groundnut in intercropping systems, Plant Soil 109 (1988) 2330. CrossRef
George, S.J., Kumar, B.M., Wahid, P.A., Kamalam, N.V., Root competition for phosphorous between the tree and herbaceous components of sylvopastoral systems in Kerala, India, Plant Soil 179 (2) (1996) 189196. CrossRef
Anon., Package of practices recommendation, Kerala Agric. Univ., Trichur, India, 1995.
Wahid, P.A., Kamalam, N.V., Sankar, S.J., A device for soil injection of 32P solution in root activity studies of tree crops, J. Plant. Crop. 16 (1988) 6264.
Anon., Root activity pattern of some tree crops, IAEA, Tech Rep. Ser. 170 (1975) 154.
Sobhana, A., Aravindakshan, M., Wahid, P.A., Root activity of banana under irrigated and rainfed conditions, J. Nucl. Tech. Agric. Biol. 18 (1989) 117123.
Kurien S., Annual report of ICAR ad hoc project on “Intermat, intramat and crop competitions in banana using radiotracer techniques”, ICAR, New Delhi, India, 1998.
Rajeevan P.K., Intra clonal variations and nutritional studies in banana cv. Palayankodan, Thesis, Kerala Agric. Univ., Trichur, India, 1985, 96 p.
Nybe E.V., Morphological studies and quality evaluation of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rose.) types, Thesis, Kerala Agric. Univ., Trichur, India, 1978, 56 p.
Panse V.G., Sukhatme P.V., Statistical methods for agricultural workers. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, India, 1978.
Philip J., Morphological studies and quality evaluation of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) types, Thesis, Kerala Agric. Univ., Trichur, India, 1978, 52 p.
Wahid, P.A., Kamalam, N.V., Sankar, S.J., Determination of phosphorus-32 in wet digested plant leaves by Cerenkov countin, Int. J. Appl. Radiat. Isot. 36 (1985) 323324. CrossRef
Mead, R., Willey, R.W., The concept of land equivalent ratio and advantages in yield from intercrops, Exp. Agric. 16 (1980) 271278.
Hiebsch, C.K., McCollum, R.E., Area time equivalent ratio: a method for evaluating the productivity of intercrop, Agron. J. 79 (1987) 1522. CrossRef
Mason, S.C., Leebner, D.E., Vort, J.J., Cassava-cowpea and cassava-peanut intercropping. 1. Yield and land use efficiency, Agron. J. 78 (1986) 4346. CrossRef
Wahid, P.A., Radioisotope studies of root activity and root-level interactions in tree based production systems: a review, Appl. Radiat. Isot. 54 (2001) 715736. CrossRef
Kurien, S., Goswami, A.M., Deb, D.L., Root activity in relation to two distinct root stocks in citrus applying radiotracer techniques, J. Hortic. Sci. 67 (1) (1992) 8794. CrossRef
Kurien, S., Goswami, A.M., Deb, D.L., Studies on influence of flush on root activity in citrus using 32P, Trop. Agric. 69 (4) (1992) 306314.
Thomas, J., Kumar, B.M., Wahid, P.A., Kamalam, N.V., Fischer, R.F., Root competition for phosphorous between ginger and Ailanthes triphysa in Kerala, India, Agrofor. Syst. 41 (3) (1998) 293305. CrossRef
Ashokan P.K., Production potential of cassava-based intercropping system, Kerala Agric. Univ., Thesis, Trichur, India, 1986.
Jose, S., Gillepsie, A.R., Sifert, J.R., Mengel, D.B., Pope, P.E., Defining competition vectors in temperate alley cropping system in mid western USA: competition for N and litter decomposition dynamics, Agrofor. Syst. 48 (1) (2000) 6172. CrossRef
Jessy, M.D., Varghese, P.H., Punnoose, K.L., Sethuraj, M.R., Evaluation of a multi species cropping system during immaturity phase of rubber, Indian J. Nat. Rubber Res. 11 (1–2) (1998) 8087.
Rodrigo, V.H.L., Sterling, C.M., Teklaimont, Z., Nuagawala, A., Intercropping with banana to improve fractional interception and radiation use efficiency of immature rubber trees, Field Crops. Res. 69 (3) (2001) 237249. CrossRef
Kumar, S.S., Kumar, B.M., Wahid, P.A., Kamalam, N.V., Fisher, R.F., Root competition for P between coconut, multipurpose trees and Kacholam, Agrofor. Syst. 46 (2) (1999) 131146. CrossRef
Hegde N.K., Sulikere G.S., Rethnam B.P., Distribution of PAR and performance of ginger under arecanut shade. Spices and aromatic plants: challenges and opportunities in the new century, Indian Soc. Spices, Calicut, 2000.
Lecompte, F., Ozier-Lafontaine, H., Pages, L., The relationships between static and dynamic variables in the description of root growth. Consequence for field interpretation of rooting variability, Plant Soil 236 (1) (2001) 1931. CrossRef
Lecompte, F., Vacuelle, A., Pages, L., Number, position, diameter and initial direction of growth of primary roots in Musa, Ann. Bot. 90 (1) (2002) 4351. CrossRef
Jayachandran, B.K., Bhai, M.M., Salam, M.A., Mammen, M.K., Mathew, K.P., Performance of ginger under open and shade conditions, Indian J. Cocoa Arecanut Spices 15 (2) (1991) 4041.
Joseph A., Jayachandran B.K., Nutrient requirement of ginger (Zingiber officinalis R.) under shade, Indian J. Cocoa Arecanut Spices, 20 (4) (1996) 115–116.
Sairam, C.V., Gopalasundaram, P., Umamaheshwari, L., Intercrops under rainfed and irrigated conditions in Kerala, Indian Coconut J. 29 (10) (1997) 24.
Ghosh, S.P., Nair, G.M., Prabakar, M., Pillai, N.G., Kumar, B.M., Kabeerathumma, S., Ramanujam, T., Pillai, K.S., Thankappan, M., Lakshmi, K.R., Pa, T.K., Performance of cassava in a multitier cropping system, Cassava Newsl. 13 (1) (1989) 68.
Prasanna, K.P., Kanakamony, M.T., Joseph, T., Sasidhar, V.K., Intercropping of irrigated bananas, J. Trop. Agric. 33 (1) (1995) 68.
Anon., Annual report of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria, 2000.