Effect of In situ Cultivation and Incorporation of Green Manure Crops on the Yield of Coconut

A field experiment was carried out in Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India with six green manure crops to study their ability to grow and establish in the coconut basin and to evaluate their effect on nut yield. Among the crops tested, Desmodium tortuosum was found to be the best producing 12.8 kg of green leaf matter per basin followed by cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and sunhemp (Crotolaria juncea). The dry matter production was also found to be superior in Desmodium compared to others. Incorporation of Desmodium added 250 g of N per crop per basin which was the highest. In situ cultivation and incorporation of Desmodium and sunhemp significantly increased the nut yield of coconut.