Determining Suitable Shade Trees, Panting Pattern and Spacing for Arabica Coffee Production in South and Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

In an attempt to determine suitable shade trees, planting pattern and optimum population density that promote productivity of Arabica coffee, two separate field experiments were carried out in south and south western coffee growing tracts of Ethiopia. In experiment one, seeds of thirteen shade trees were collected and established at Jimma Agricultural Research Center. Coffee berry disease resistant cultivar was stripe planted and intercropped with the shade trees in split-plot design with three replications, where shade trees and planting patterns assigned as main- and sub-plot, respectively. In experiment two, prominent shade trees were established at Gera Agricultural Research Sub-center and Metu and Wenago trial sites. The trial was laid out in split-plot design with three replicates, where shade trees and spacing between coffee trees assigned in the respective main and sub-plots. The results depicted that shade trees significantly (P < 0.05) affected coffee yield. The highest yield was noted for coffee trees planted under Millettia ferruginea, Albizia maronguensis, Acacia abyssinica, Albizia tanganica, Erythrina abyssinica, Calpurnea subdecondra and Cordia africana. The trees produced 1240 - 4512 kg ha^-1 annum^-1 litter fall and intercept 26 - 60% light intensity. Besides, the shade trees have mean canopy diameter ranged between 6 m * 6 m to 20 m * 20 m. Stripped plots significantly (P < 0.05) out yielded intercropped plots by 20.40%. In the overall year mean coffee population density of 5917, 3906 and 5102 trees ha^-1 gave the highest yield at Gera, Metu and Wenago, respectively. It is, therefore, concluded that productivity of coffee trees can be improved by planting at its optimum population density in strip between the aforementioned prominent shade trees. However, investigation should continue to evaluate the effect of the shade trees on the row and liquor quality of coffee, smothering of weed growth, plant nutrient supply, soil moisture dynamics and physico-chemical properties of soil in major coffee growing areas of the country.

Keywords: Arabica coffee, intercropped, planting pattern, spacing, shade trees, stripped