Complete excavation and root distribution of some agroforestry tree legumes in Nigeria
A common problem in agroforestry system of all kinds is competition for nutrients between the root system of trees and adjacent food crops. Due to the population pressure on available land, food production, will increasingly be confined to intensification, rather than expansion systems. Intensifi – cation will occur on both favourable and nutrient-deficient land. With a high input system, better management will be especially crucial to achieving higher yields. Where there is population pressure, nutrient-poor soils and marginal land, a combination of desirable species and management practices will be required to achieve sustain – ability, high productivity and soil conservation. Efficient use of resources is probably the most common and best- established basis for higher yields in agroforestry systems in traditional farming systems. Among traditional manage – ment practices, farmers often prune trees adjacent to crops to reduce competition for light and to harvest tree products. This is an effective way to control aboveground competition of trees. Understanding belowground competition between trees and crops is also crucial. Sometimes, promising spe – cies that have provided useful by-products such as firewood, green manure, shade, poles, fodder, fruits etc possess some undesirable attributes. These include species with superficial root distribution, such as Enterolobium cyclocarpum and Leucaena leucocephala . Using such species in agroforestry may compromise the beneficial effects of the system on soil fertility. A good distribution of roots should be therefore considered in selecting tree species for simultaneous agroforestry systems (Anegbeh and Tchoundjeu 2005). The objective of this study was to assess root distribution pattern of five tree legumes in Onne, Nigeria
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Publication year
2022
