COFFEE IN AGRO-FORESTRY SYSTEMS INVOLVING DIFFERENT TREE SPECIES

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to study the growth and yield of arabica and rohusta coffeegrown in agro-foresry systems involving different shade tree species. The final ohjective isto select the hest tree species as shade for coffee.

The experiment was conducted at Delpitiya in the mid country wet zone of Sri Lanka. Theexperiment site contained four tree species established in 19X6 at 25m x 25m spacing.The four tree species were Gliritid!« sepium, Calliandr« calothvrsus, Acasia magnum andErvtlirinu lithospcrma, Rohusta coffee in 2.5m x 2.5m and arabica coffee in 1.25m x1.25m spacing were planted bet ween the shade trees. The measurements were also madein a control treatment which had coffee without shade. Each treatment had threereplicates.

Yield data of this experiment showed that the highest coffee yield was obtained underGliricidia and Calliandra. next under Acacia and then Erythrina. The lowest yield wasobtained from coffee grown without shade.

Coffee plants were collar pruned in 1996 and collected growth measurement of coffeeshowed significantly highest shoot growth under Gliricidia, Calliandra, Acacia andErvthrina. Unhealthy stunted shoots were observed in the coffee grown without shade.Hence. it can be concluded that coffee is best grown under Gliricidia, Calliandra, Acaciaatul Erythrina shade.