Mucuna Bracteata) Cover Crop
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12 KKU Researeh Journal KKU Research Journal 2016; 21(3) : 12 - 27 http://www.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/kkurj/index 3KRWRV\QWKHWLFHI¿FLHQF\RI36,,DQGJURZWKRI\RXQJUXEEHU tree (Hevea brasiliensis) planted with Mucuna (Mucuna bracteata) cover crop Anoma Dongsansuk 1,2*, Supat Isarangkool Na Ayutthaya1,2, Naruemol Kaewjumpa1,2, and Anan Polthanee1* 1Department of Plant science and Agricultural resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, 40002 2Knowledge development of Rubber tree in Northeastern group, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, 40002 3Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, 40002 *Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] and [email protected] Abstract Mucuna bracteata is a legume crop recommended for use as a cover crop to plant EHWZHHQURZVRI\RXQJUXEEHUWUHHVLQDQLQWHUFURSSLQJV\VWHP,WKDVPDQ\DGYDQWDJHV as a cover crop including its rapid growth rate, deep root system, drought tolerance and KLJKQLWURJHQ¿[DWLRQUDWH+RZHYHUWKHUHLVOLWWOHLQIRUPDWLRQUHJDUGLQJWKHSK\VLRORJLFDO UROHVSDUWLFXODUO\LQUHJDUGVWRHQKDQFHPHQWRISKRWRV\QWKHWLFHI¿FLHQF\DQGJURZWK performance, in which M. bracteata plants provide for the young rubber trees. 3KRWRV\QWKHVLVSDUDPHWHUVLQFOXGLQJ3KRWRV\VWHP,,HI¿FLHQF\FKORURSK\OOFRQWHQWWKH greenness or relative chlorophyll content of leaves (SPAD values) and growth of two-year-old rubber trees planted with or without M. bracteata were evaluated. The rubber plantation was situated at Khon Kaen University (NE Thailand) and the measurements were performed during the dry (March) and rainy (July) seasons in 2015. The results showed that the soil temperature in the experimental plot with cover crop ZDVVLJQL¿FDQWO\ORZHU WKDQWKDWLQWKHSORWZLWKRXWWKHFRYHUFURS,QFRQWUDVWVRLOPRLVWXUHFRQWHQWLQWKHSORW ZLWKWKHFRYHUFURSZDVVLJQL¿FDQWO\KLJKHUWKDQWKDWZLWKRXWWKHFRYHUFURS,QWKHGU\ season, the effective quantum yield of PSII, ǻFFm’DQGWKHPD[LPDOÀXRUHVFHQFHLQWKH light-adapted state (Fm’) of young rubber trees growing in the plot with the cover crop were IRXQGVLJQL¿FDQWO\KLJKHUWKDQWKRVHZLWKRXWWKHFRYHUFURS+RZHYHULQWKHUDLQ\VHDVRQ ǻFFm’, and Fm’RIWKHUXEEHUWUHHVSODQWHGZLWKWKHFRYHUFURSZHUHVLJQL¿FDQWO\ORZHU WKDQWKRVHZLWKRXWWKHFRYHUFURSZKHUHDVRWKHUÀXRUHVFHQFHSDUDPHWHUVZHUHQRW GLIIHUHQW,QERWKVHDVRQVWKHFRQWHQWVRI&KORURSK\OOD&KORURSK\OO b and total Chlorophyll, SPAD values, leaf area and girth of rubber trees planted with the cover crop ZHUHVLJQL¿FDQWO\KLJKHUWKDQWKRVHZLWKRXWWKHFRYHUFURS7KLVVXJJHVWHGWKDWWKHXVHRI M. bracteataDVFRYHUFURSIRUWKHUXEEHUSODQWDWLRQZDVEHQH¿FLDOIRUJURZWKRI\RXQJ KKU Researeh Journal 13 rubber plants. M. bracteata provided a favorable environment for the plantation leading to higher chlorophyll content, increased photosynthetic performances and hence better growth of the young rubber trees Keywords : Photosynthesis, PSIIHI¿FLHQF\5XEEHUWUHH0XFXQD&KORURSK\OOFRQWHQW SPAD Introduction pubescens and Calopogonium caeruleum are commonly used as ground Rubber tree is an important economic cover in rubber cultivation. However, these crop in Thailand which is the second cover legumes are not always successful exporter country of rubber in the world after against weed growths during initial rubber ,QGRQHVLD5XEEHUWUHHVDUHWUDGLWLRQDOO\ cultivation (6). Thus, new cover planted in the South of Thailand where the legumes such as Mucuna pruiens, Mucuna environments were favourable for growth cochinchinesis and Mucuna bracteata have of rubber plants with generally very high been introduced. They are widely used in rainfall and fertile soils. During the last 0DOD\VLD,QGRQHVLDDQG6RXWK$PHULFD decade a large area of rubber plantation (6,8,9). Mucuna species are fast growing has been established in the Northeast legumes, with deep root system, drought of Thailand where the soils are of low WROHUDQWKDYHKLJKQLWURJHQ¿[DWLRQUDWHVDQG fertility, temperatures are higher, produce high biomass. They can reduce soil rainfalls are much less and many areas temperature and protect from soil erosion occasionally faces drought. These results ,QLQWHUFURSSLQJRUFRYHUFURSSLQJ are in low production potential of rubber in V\VWHPVWRWDOOLJKWXVHHI¿FLHQF\LQWKHPDMRU this part of the country. At present, applying crops as well as the associated crops can be fertilizers is the only practice that farmers enhanced. Higher yield of intercropped use to enhance plant growth and increase plants can be attributed to higher light rubber production. Planting cover crops XVHHI¿FLHQF\ ). The incident light in in between rows of young rubber trees the mixture canopies is intercepted by (intercropping system) has been each plant species (7). However, the suggested as another practice to photosynthesis characteristics in the mixed increase growth and productivity of FDQRSLHVLHWKHHI¿FLHQF\IURPOLJKW rubber tree plantation. Many interception to the conversion of energy researchers have reported the use of into biochemical energetic compounds, are several crop species as cover crop for young not well understood and documented. rubber trees. These include upland rice, &KORURSK\OO ÀXRUHVFHQFH LV mung bean, soybean and peanut (1); papaya, a powerful technique widely used to study tobacco, water melon (2); cassava and SKRWRV\QWKHVLVLQWKH¿HOGEHFDXVHLWLV peanut (3). Moreover, cover legumes a sensitive, real-time and non-destructive intercropped with rubber trees are also method (10). Chlorophyll pigments recommended for soil erosion control, absorb light energy and then drive improving soil fertility and soil quality, weed photosynthetic process (photochemistry), and pest control (4,5,6,7). The cover legumes release heat energy or re-emit such as Pueraria phaseoloides, Centrosema ÀXRUHVFHQFH 7KH RULJLQDO ÀXRUHVFHQFH 14 KKU Researeh Journal measurements under natural condition are area of 1 plot was 21 x 14 m with 21 IURPSLJPHQWVRISKRWRV\VWHP,, 36,, rubber trees and 24 M. bracteata plants. Soil DQGLWUHODWHVWROLJKWXVHHI¿FLHQF\RI type of the experimental plot was loamy sand. SKRWRV\QWKHVLV7KH36,,HI¿FLHQF\RI Fertilizer (N-P-K : 20-8-20) was applied at photosynthesis is expressed in mol of CO2 a rate of 100 g/plant twice a year in both converted or of carbohydrate formed (11). treatments (with or without M. bracteata as Therefore, our hypothesis is that the cover cover crop). Tillage and weeding control crops supply nitrogen to soil and that this were managed twice a year in both of nitrogen will be up taken by the treatments. rubber trees. Consequently leaf nitrogen, chlorophyll pigments and rubber tree Microclimate measurement photosynthesis can increase. High ,QWKHH[SHULPHQWDOVLWHPLFURFOLPDWH photosynthesis relates with plant growth. was measured during photosynthesis Thus, this research aims 1) to compare the and plant growth measurement in March 36,,HI¿FLHQF\DQGSODQWJURZWKRI\RXQJ (dry season) and July (rainy season) rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) planted 2015. Soil temperatures at 0-10 cm depth in the experimental plots with and without were measured using thermometer. Soil the legume, Mucuna bracteata as cover humidity was measured by weighing soil FURSDQG WRHYDOXDWHWKHEHQH¿WRI0 method. Soil samples were collected at 10 bracteata planted in between rows of young cm depth by soil core (5 cm diameter) and rubber trees. then weighed for fresh weight (FW). Soil o Materials and Methods sampled was oven dried at 150 C until constant weight or dry weight (DW). Soil Site and Plant material moisture content was calculated following This research was conducted the equation [(FW-DW)/FW] x 100 and unit in the Fruit Tree division at Faculty of reported as percentage. Air temperatures Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, and air humidity above ground surface at Thailand in 2015. The spacing of PKHLJKWZHUHPHDVXUHGZLWK,QGRRU rubber tree was 3 x 7 m. M. bracteata was digital thermometer-hygrometer (Minnesota planted in double row (spacing 3 x 3 m) 0HDVXUHPHQW,QVWUXPHQWV//&86$ 6RLO between rows of rubber trees (Figure 1). and air temperature, soil moisture content The trees were two years old when the and air humidity were sampled at 2 points, measurement started. We used one at 30 cm and another at 2 m from tree a randomized complete block design line (See Figure 1). (RCBD) with 4 replications (plots). The KKU Researeh Journal 15 Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the experimental plots showing plant spacing of rubber trees with (A) or without (B) M. bracteata as the cover crop. 'etermination oI chlorophyll Àuorescence bracteata plants/plot. As shown in equation (1) and (2), The following parameters of &KORURSK\OO ÀXRUHVFHQFH LQ WKH FKORURSK\OO ÀXRUHVFHQFH ZHUH PLGGOH OHDÀHW RI DWWDFKHG OHDYHV RI measured: F0PLQLPDOÀXRUHVFHQFHLQWKH rubber trees (3 leaves per plant) and mature dark-adapted state; F , steady state leaves of M. bracteata (3 leaves per plant) s ÀXRUHVFHQFHXQGHUDQDWXUDOLUUDGLDWLRQ F m, the ZDVPHDVXUHGLQWKHH[SHULPHQWDO¿HOG PD[LPDO ÀXRUHVFHQFH LQ WKH E\XVLQJD0LQL3$0ÀXRURPHWHU :DO] dark-adapted state, and Fm’, the maximal (IIHOWULFK*HUPDQ\ ,QRXUH[SHULPHQWZH ÀXRUHVFHQFHLQWKHOLJKWDGDSWHGVWDWH used two rubber tree plants/plot and two M. (natural irradiation). Maximal quantum 16 KKU Researeh Journal yield of PSII photochemistry in dark A645 and A663 represent the absorbance condition (maximal photosynthetic of extraction at 645 and 663 nm, respectively. HI¿FLHQF\ FvFm [equation (1)] and V and W represent the total extract volume effective quantum yield of PSII and the leaf fresh weight, respectively. photochemistry in light condition /HDIFKORURSK\OOZDVDOVRHVWLPDWHG SKRWRV\QWKHWLFHI¿FLHQF\LQQDWXUDO using a SPAD meter (SPAD 502 Plus condition), ¨FFm’ [equation