Articles
Influence of mucuna fallow crop on selected soil properties, weed suppression and taro yields in Taveuni, Fiji
Article number
1118_13
Pages
89 – 94
Language
English
Abstract
Two field experiments were carried out in Taveuni, Fiji to study the effects of mucuna (Mucuna pruriens) and grass fallow systems at 6 and 12 month durations on changes in soil properties (Experiment 1) and taro yields (Experiment 2). Biomass accumulation of mucuna fallow crop was significantly higher (P<0.05) than grass fallow crop at both 6 and 12 month durations.
The longer fallow duration resulted in higher (P<0.05) total soil organic carbon, total soil nitrogen and earthworm numbers regardless of fallow type.
Weed suppression in taro grown under mucuna was significantly greater (P<0.05) than under natural grass fallow.
Taro grown under mucuna fallow significantly outyielded taro grown under grass fallow (11.8 vs. 8.8 t ha-1). Also, the gross margin of taro grown under mucuna fallow was 52% higher than that of taro grown under grass fallow.
The longer fallow duration resulted in higher (P<0.05) total soil organic carbon, total soil nitrogen and earthworm numbers regardless of fallow type.
Weed suppression in taro grown under mucuna was significantly greater (P<0.05) than under natural grass fallow.
Taro grown under mucuna fallow significantly outyielded taro grown under grass fallow (11.8 vs. 8.8 t ha-1). Also, the gross margin of taro grown under mucuna fallow was 52% higher than that of taro grown under grass fallow.
Authors
R. Lal, D.F. Guinto, M. Smith
Keywords
mucuna (Mucuna pruriens), taro (Colocasia esculenta), fallow crop, soil health, weeds, yields
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