Plantain-Tree Rubber Intercropping Systems Improved Productivity in the Tropical Humid Zone of Ghana, West Africa

Tetteh, Erasmus Narteh and Owusu Danquah, Eric and Abunyewa, Akwasi Adutwum and Melenya Ocansey, Caleb and Boakye, Emmanuel Amoah and Tuffour, Henry Oppong and Logah, Vincent and Twum-Ampofo, Kwame and Dzomeku, Beloved Mensah and Yeboah, Stephen and Barnes, Victor Rex and Andersen, Mathias N. (2021) Plantain-Tree Rubber Intercropping Systems Improved Productivity in the Tropical Humid Zone of Ghana, West Africa. International Journal of Agronomy, 2021. pp. 1-16. ISSN 1687-8159

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Abstract

A three-year field trial was conducted between 2014 and 2017 in the Ellembelle and Jomoro districts of the Western region of Ghana where rubber production is common to determine the optimum population density of plantain when grown in combination with immature rubber tree crops. The trials were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications. The treatments were sole rubber, sole plantain, and three intercrops of one row of plantain in between two rows of rubber, two rows of plantain in between two rows of rubber, and three rows of plantain in between two rows of rubber. The rubber clone used was GT1 while the variety of plantain used was false horn. The results showed that population density of plantain had significant effect on the growth of the associated rubber. Growing plantain at closer spacing of 1.5 m under the high-density plantain treatment significantly increased plantain yield compared to the other cropping systems. There was a significant positive relationship between population density of plantain and the rubber tree growth and development. The optimum population density of plantain when intercropped with rubber was 1,666/ha. The study showed intercropping was advantageous over sole cropping for both crops.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: STM Repository > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Managing Editor
Date Deposited: 15 Apr 2023 07:30
Last Modified: 22 Oct 2024 04:25
URI: http://classical.goforpromo.com/id/eprint/1674

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