Assessing the potential of trees to sustain soil fertility in the banana agroforestry system in Uganda

ABSTRACT

Low indigenous soil fertility is cited as a major problem in Uganda, where trees are integrated with bananas. Dominant trees were subjected to pruning regimes; 0, 25 and 50%. Litter decomposition was assessed using 480 bags (4 bags per tree × 4 trees × 3 regimes × 5 sites × 2 seasons). Decomposition was in order Ficus natalensis > Albizia coriaria > Mangifera indica > Artocarpus heterophyllus and highest in the wet season. Sprouting was highest in the dry season. Albizia coriaria had longest sprouts. Based on our results Ficus natalensis and Albizia coriaria should be integrated more and 50% pruning regime should be done.

KEYWORDS:

• Litter
• pruning regime
• decomposition
• agroforestry
• bananas

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge funding from the Austrian Development Agency under the project awarded to Bioversity International and other research partners. Extra assistance from the National Banana Research program, National Agriculture Research Organization and College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University is appreciated. We also thank the farmers from Kiboga district who allowed us to conduct this research on their farms and more specifically to cut their trees.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Austrian Development Agency.