Management of calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meissn.) in coconut plantation for boosting forage yield and nutritive value

Abstract

Calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meissner), a prominent agroforestry tree species, is a potential animal fodder as a supplement to poor quality roughages, but management practices that ensure both quantity and suitable quality as cattle feed underneath coconut plantation were to be standardized under humid tropical conditions of India. We therefore, investigated the comparative forage yields and nutritive value of young stands of calliandra under three levels of tree density viz. 27,777 plants ha-1 (60 x 60 cm spacing), 22,222 plants ha-1 (75 x 60 cm spacing) and 17,777 plants ha-1 (75 x 75 cm spacing), two cutting heights (0.5 and 1.0 m from ground level) and three cutting intervals of 8, 12 and 16 weeks, laid out in 3 x 2 x 3 factorial randomized block design replicated thrice. The study clearly indicated that in humid tropical conditions, calliandra should be planted at a closer spacing of 60 x 60 cm, pruned at 1.0 m height and at an interval of 12 weeks to achieve greater dry matter and nutrient yields. Establishment and proper management of calliandra hedgerows in coconut plantations thus offers a cheap source of quality forage to land crunch humid tropical farmers against the highly expensive concentrate feeds.