000			02777nam a2200121Ia 4500
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100			_aRodrigo L H L
245		0	_aRubber-based intercrops for improved productivity : The best available today
260			_bRubber Planters Conference, India 2002. Global Competitiveness of Indian Rubber Plantation Industry : Abstracts of Papers, Rubber Board, Kottayam 21-22 November 2002.pp.24-25
520			_aNatural rubber plays an important role not only by producing vital industrial raw material but also by providing efficient carbon sink to mitigate the green house effect. Growers are continuously looking for the improvements in the productivity levels of rubber. However development of high yielding clones requires well over 15 years. Intercropping has been a proven means for increased land productivity due to the fact that the heterogeneity of mixed culture systems is more efficient than homogeneous mono-culture systems in resource capture allowing to establish greater crop densities, hence productivity. Intercropping also alleviates the problem of no income of immature rubber lands during initial six years or more and this is particularly important to smallholders since holding size does not permit both immature and revenue rubber for continuous income as practised in large estates. Suitability of crops for intercropping on rubber lands depends not only on agronomic, but also socio-economic factors. Therefore, this presentation aims to discuss the practicality of different rubber based intercropping systems under Sri Lankan conditions. Most sun-loving short-term crops are suitable for initial 3-4 years of rubber with banana being the most popular intercrop. Pineapple, passion fruit, sugarcane and different types of vegetables are grown, should socio-economic conditions be conductive. Crops that could be established under mature rubber are limited, eg. cardomom and vanilla. However, shade tolerant crops such as coffee and cocoa could be grown throughout the lifespan of rubber provided that temporary shades is given during the early stages. Should economically important sun-loving perennial crops such as tea and cinnamon, be grown with rubber, the spatial arrangement of planting rubber has to be alterated compromising the planting density for improved light penetration. However, use of such systems may depend on the size of the holding. In addition to the growing of crops between rubber rows, land use optimisation could be achieved by introducing suitable crops to the boundary of rubber clearing where competition for resources will be minimal. Except for few, most intercrops facilitated improved growth of rubber and also contributed to social benefits.
650			_aIntercrops
942			_cJS
999			_c68202 _d68202