Biomass production, light transmission and management of Erythrina berteroana, Erythrina fusca and Gliricidia sepium used as living supports in Talamanca, Costa Rica

Crown development, biomass production and light transmission of three leguminous trees species were monitored for six months following pollarding at a site in the humid lowlands of southeastern Costa Rica. Two-year-old trees had been established from stakes at a spacing of 2,5 x 2,5 m and were pollarded twice a year. Erythrina berteroana developed the largest crowns with most foliar biomass (4 t DM ha-1 yr-1), followed by Erythrina fusca (3,4 t ha-1 yr-1) and Gliricidia sepium (2,9 t ha-1 yr-1). The shade cast by the crowns of E. berteroana and E. fusca was significantly larger and darker than that cast by G. sepium. Spatial and temporal integration of radiation measurements showed that six months after polarding 35 percent of the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in full sunlight penetrated stands of E. berteroana, 52 percent penetrated stands of E. fusca and 69 percent penetrated stands of G. sepium. The study documented high biomass production, but also established the need for a frequent and partial pruning regime for the Erythrina species to avoid extreme shading and high tree mortality associated with pollarding.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	106621 Powell, M.H. eds., 97700 Muschler, R.G., 131136 Westley, S.B., CATIE - Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza Turrialba, Costa Rica autor/a 3977, 15141 Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, Hawaii (EUA), International Conference Erythrina in the New and Old Worlds Turrialba (Costa Rica) 19-23 Oct 1992
Format:	biblioteca
Published:	Hawaii (EUA) 1993
Subjects:	ERYTHRINA BERTEROANA, ERYTHRINA FUSCA, GLIRICIDIA SEPIUM, BIOMASA, RADIACION SOLAR, SOPORTES VIVOS, ARBOLES DE SOMBRA, COSTA RICA,
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!