Alley Cropping and Organic Compost: An Efficient and Sustainable Agro-Ecological Strategy for Improving Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Growth and Attributes

Abstract

Alley cropping is a sustainable agriculture approach that improves ecosystem services while also promoting biodiversity. The current study was conducted over two seasons, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, to examine the impact of leucaena–turmeric alley cropping and organic compost addition as agroforestry systems on the growth, yield and characteristics of the turmeric crop. Alley cropping included four treatments: control (turmeric as sole crop), turmeric cultivated between leucaena trees pruned at 1 m height, leucaena trees pruned at 1.5 m height and unpruned leucaena trees. Meanwhile, organic compost rates were control (received recommended NPK) and 17 and 34 m3 ha−1. This study’s results showed that growing turmeric in between rows of unpruned leucaena resulted in maximum turmeric plant growth, production and characteristics. Minimum turmeric growth and yield parameters were recorded with plants grown between pruned leucaena at 1 m and those where the turmeric was the sole crop. In addition, compost addition at 34 m3 ha−1 led to maximum growth, yield and attributes of the turmeric crop. Compost addition and alley cropping were shown to be an effective and sustainable agro-ecological system for increasing turmeric output and quality. The study demonstrated the importance of selecting the appropriate crop–tree combination in this system and it was discovered that leguminous leucaena trees significantly contributed to improving fertility and nutrient availability, which in turn improved the growth characteristics of turmeric, particularly the leaf-area index and its nutrient content, which are beneficial to the characteristics of the rhizome yield and curcumin content.

Agro-Ecological Practice for Sustaining Higher Productivity of Fennel Plant Using Alley Cropping System and Endophytic Fungi

“…The high quality, organic materials of Sesbania prunings decompose rapidly, releasing nitrogen initially in excess of the fennel's needs [36]. In this respect, [37] stated that applying Leucaena leucocephalaturmeric as alley cropping enhances fertility and availability of nutrients, which increased the growth and yield characteristics of turmeric. Numerous studies have promoted the advantages of using prunings as mulch and organic matter [33,[37][38][39].…”

Optimization and Experiment of Livestock and Poultry Manure Composting Equipment with Vented Heating

“…The aerobic fermentation process diagram for the composting equipment is illustrated in Figure 12. To prepare the compost, mix sheep manure and straw in a 20:1 ratio [44][45][46][47]. Then, add water to adjust the moisture content to 60%, followed by the addition of Manure Fermentation starter.…”

Research on the Composting Technology of Cattle and Sheep Manure Based on Intelligent and Efficient Composting Equipment and the Evaluation Standard of Decomposition Degree

“…Despite its benefits, natural composting has limitations, such as factors like temperature, humidity, and ventilation affecting its effectiveness [19,20]. Organic fertilizers produced through natural composting are often unevenly ripened, and using them directly on the soil can have adverse effects, such as seedling burning [21][22][23].…”