Abstract

PETIT-ALDANA, Judith; CASANOVA-LUGO, Fernando; SOLORIO-SANCHEZ, Javier  and  RAMIREZ-AVILES, Luis. Litterfall production and quality in pure and mixed fodder banks in Yucatan, Mexico. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2011, vol.17, n.1, pp.165-178. ISSN 2007-4018.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2010.09.066.

Litterfall production and quality in pure and mixed fodder banks of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. and Moringa oleifera Lam. were evaluated during the rainy and dry season, using a completely randomized block design with five treatments and four replications in densities of 10,000 and 20,000 plants·ha^-1. In each experimental unit, a 1.6 m² litter mesh collector was installed, and the litterfall was collected throughout one year. Dry weight was recorded by treatment and seasons to determine the fraction of N, C and P and the C:N ratio. The highest litterfall production was in the rainy season. L. leucocephala in monoculture and intercropped with G. ulmifolia showed the highest production with 1,022 and 1,542 kg DM-ha Myr¹, respectively, and L. leucocephala had the highest total contributions of N, C, and P with 22.0, 443.0 and 0.96 kg DM·ha^-1·1yr¹. L. leucocephala with M. oleifera provided greater amounts of N and C (23.2 and 363.8 kg DM·ha^-1·1yr¹. The greatest input of phosphorous was by L. leucocephala and G. ulmifolia (0.74 kg DM·ha^-1·1yr¹). It was concluded that the association of species promotes greater litter production and nutrient intake compared with monocultures. Banks, litterfall, production, quality.

Keywords : Agroforestry; fodder banks; litterfall; production; quality.

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