Litter fall and decomposition trend of jatropha curcas L. leaves mulches under two environmental conditions

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Faculty of the Forest Resources Technology, Sunyani, Ghana, with the objective of finding out the litter fall and the decomposition trend of Jatropha curcas leaf mulches. A 2 mm nylon mesh size fitted to stakes at 1 m above the ground was used to trap the leaf litter and their oven dry weights taken. Decomposition of Jatropha curcas leaf litter was assessed by placing 80 g fresh leaf in a 0.30 m x 0.30 m nylon litter decomposition bags of 2 mm mesh size at two (2) different environmental conditions and records taken for four months. The results showed that the total quantity of litter produced in a year at different spacing were 2.27 ton/ha, 1.10 tons/ha and 0.79 tons/ha for 1 m x 1m, 2 m x 1m and 3 m x 1m respectively. The month of November had the highest litter fall (508.8 kg/ha) for 1 m x 1 m. Jatropha curcas under open canopy had 97-99% of the leaf litter decomposing at the end of the experimental period (120 days) and a half life of 25 days. The concentration of carbon, nitrogen and phosphourus, calcium, magnesium and potassium did vary significantly over the four months period. On the basis of the results obtained Jatropha curcas leaf liter would not be good mulch but could be a source of nutrients.