Growth and productivity of indigo (Indigofera tinctoria L.) in an agroforestry-based farming system
2013
Raga-as, M.L. | Visco, R.G. | Castillo, A.SA. | Palijon, A.M. | Calderon, M.M.
The growth and productivity of Indigo as natural dye source in an agroforestry-based farming system was determined. Indigo were planted as single row hedgerow, double row hedgerow intercropped with maize and in pure Indigo plots laid out in RCBD with three replications. Planting distance of 0.75mx 0.75m was used in 10m x 10m experimental plots with a total of 3,900, 7,800 and 17,778 plants per hectare. Growth and yield/productivity were determined every three months cutting cycle for one year. Survival, crown diameter, number and length of branches, fresh biomass and dry matter yield per plant did not differ significantly in terms of interaction between treatments and time factor. However, for treatment analysis per cycle, Indigo as single row hedgerow was consistently the highest. Growth performance for the different parameters evaluated varies among cutting cycles with tapering result observed during the fourth cutting cycle which was lowest. This observation may not be necessarily due to the inherent characteristics of Indigo, but some environmental factors have significant positive relationship such as rainfall and soil nutrient. Dye yield in powder form was the same in one year production as well as treatment effects every cycle. Dye production across treatments in every cycle varies with fourth cutting cycle being the lowest. Declining fresh matter production positively affected amount of dye field. Nevertheless, dye recovery and dye quality were the same between treatments and across cycles, hence, Indigo is a potential hedgerows and can be used in marginal upland areas either as pure stand or in an agroforestry-based farming system.
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