Effect of In situ Cultivation and Incorporation of Green Manure Crops on the Yield of Coconut

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India withsix green manure crops to study their ability to grow and establish in the coconutbasin and to evaluate their effect on nut yield. Among the crops tested, Desmodiumtortuosum was found to be the best producing 12.8 kg of green leaf matter per basinfollowed by cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and sunhemp (Crotolaria juncea). The drymatter production was also found to be superior in Desmodium compared to others.Incorporation of Desmodium added 250 g of N per crop per basin which was thehighest. In situ cultivation and incorporation of Desmodium and sunhemp significantlyincreased the nut yield of coconut.