Farmer's Notebook
Glyricidia to increase coconut yield in sandy soils
M.J. Prabu
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Glyricidia leaves can meet nearly 90 per cent of the nitrogen requirement M.J. Prabu
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— photo: CPCRI
ORGANIC NUTRIENT: Glyricidia can be grown along the borders and between rows of coconut palms.
COCONUT PRODUCTIVITY has been found to be low in the coastal sandy soil of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
This is mainly due to the inherent characteristics of the soil, namely, poor water retaining capacity, excessive infiltration due to porosity of sands and low fertility status of the soil.
Poor nut formation
The nutritional deficiency of the sandy soils is one of the main reasons for the poor productivity of coconut palms.
It often causes poor nut formation and also severe button shedding, according to Dr. V. Rajagopal, Director, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasargod, Kerala.
The trees are also prone to attack by several pests . Field trials to improve the soil fertility apart from increasing the water holding capacity of the sandy soils have been carried out by the scientists at the institute.
Green manure
Growing glyricidia (in Tamil it is known as Seemai agathi, in Malayalam it is called Seema konna and in Telugu it is known as Seema kanuga or Madri) as an intercrop in coconut gardens and using its leaves, as green manure has been able to achieve the twin objectives.
Application of organic green manure is important in sustaining the soil fertility and productivity especially with a perennial crop like coconut.
"Coconut palms respond well to organic nutrients. A number of practices to grow coconut through organic means have been developed at the Institute. One of them is the addition of green leaves manure to improve the organic matter of the soil," said Dr. Rajagopal. But in several coconut gardens, farmers are unable to apply the required quantity of green leaf manure mainly due to their unavailability. In such conditions, permanent coconut-glyricidia intercropping was found to be suitable.
Multipurpose crop
Glyricidia has great potential as a multipurpose crop in agro forestry and is capable of generating huge quantities of nitrogen-rich green leaf manure.
It grows has been found to grow well in marginal and sub-marginal soils and successfully thrives as an intercrop in sandy soils where no green manure can thrive . It is a quick growing, hardy, resistant plant that can be grown along the borders and between rows of coconut palms. Addition of glyricidia leaves in the soil helps in meeting a major portion of nitrogen, and a part of phosphorus and potassium needs of the coconut trees, according to Dr. Rajagopal.
Easy decomposition
The leaves decompose easily within 2-3 weeks after mixing with the soil thereby providing nutrients relatively quicker.
Planting of three rows of glyricidia between two rows of coconut in a hectare with three prunings a year (February, June and October) resulted in a yield of about 800 kgs of green leaves per hectare.
These leaves can meet nearly 90 per cent of the nitrogen, 25 per cent of the phosphorus and 15 per cent of the potassium requirement of the coconut palms, according to Dr. Rajagopal.
They also supply micronutrients such as copper, zinc and boron to the trees.
The growth of the coconut palms was also not affected by intercropping with glyricidia."Besides the green leaves, a number of organic wastes from the coconut palm can be effectively recycled to make good compost, which will meet much of the nutrient demands of the coconut trees," said Dr. Rajagopal.
For more information readers may contact the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasargod - 671 124, Kerala, phone: 04994-232333, email: cpcri@hub.nic.in
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