Testing the Performance of

 Banana Cropping Systems

on Farmers' Holdings in the Windward Islands


 M. M. Rao H. Mu
Caribbean Agricultural Research and Windwa
 Development Institute
 P.O. Box 971, Castries,
 St. Lucia, W.I.

 On-farm trials, involving intercropping of banana with
 cowpeas (Vigna unquiculata), dasheen (Colocasia anti-
 quorum), groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea), maize (Zea mays),
 eddoe (Colocasia esculenta), tannia (Xanthosoma sagit-
 tifolium), snapbeans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and their mixtures,
 were initiated in four different production environments in
 the Windward Islands. At each site, the existing farmers'
 intercropping practice was included as control. The results
 indicate that the cropping systems did not significantly influ-


irray and J. E. Edmunds
ird Islands Banana Growers' Association (WINBAN)
 Research and Development Division
 P.O. Box 115, Castries,
 St. Lucia, W.I.

 ence the yield (except in Experiment 2), cropping cycle and
 nutrient concentrations of banana. The cropping systems,
 Banana + 2 Tannia + 3 Snapbeans, was economically
 superior (154%) to the control (B + IT) in Grenada. Inclu-
 sion of cowpeas in the mixture reduced the yield of dasheen
 and eddoe considerably.
 Keywords: Banana, Cropping Systems, Production environ-
 ment, Food crops.


 In the Windward Islands, banana is one of the most important
cash crops and a major contributor to the gross domestic product
and foreign exchange earnings. Unlike most banana exporting
countries, in the Windward Islands a large proportion of the
banana acreage is in the hands of small farmers who contribute a
substantial quantity of fruit (30%) for export. Recent farming
systems surveys in the Windward Islands revealed that the small
farmer interplants banana with a variety of permanent fruit trees,
food crops and vegetables (Henderson and Gomes, 1979; Rao,
1979). The primary reasons for banana intercropping are to have
extra food and cash return (Devos and Wilson, 1979), and to
reduce the cost of plantation establishment (Ruthenberg, 1976).

 Results of cropping systems research at WINBAN Experiment
Station, involving comparisons of interplanting banana and plan-
tain with a variety of food crops, showed insignificant differences
in yield on a system basis. However, the associated growth of
some crops delayed the cropping cycle of banana significantly.
The extent of this delay was dependent on the duration and
height of intercrop, and the rainfall pattern (Edmunds and Rao,
1981; Rao and Edmunds, 1984). Devos and Wilson (1979) also
reported that the associated growth of maize and cassava with
plantain extended days to harvest significantly, with no reduction
in yield.
 The main objectives of the banana intercropping at WINBAN
has been to improve the existing banana land use by more inten-
sive cropping and to enhance the nutritional base of small banana
farmers. This paper highlights the results of on-farm trials on
banana cropping systems in different production environments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
 The food crops interplanted with bananas were cowpeas (Vigna
unquiculata), dasheen (Colocasia antiquorum), groundnuts
(Arachis hypogaea), maize (Zea mays), eddoes (Colocasia
esculenta), tannia (Xanthosoma sagittifolium), and snapbeans

VOL. XX-PROCEEDINGS of the CARIBBEAN FOOD CROPS SOCIETY


(Phaseolus vulgaris). At each location the farmer's existing prac-
tice was included as control. The treatments used and planting
patterns adopted are presented below:

Experiment 1 (Buccament Valley, St. Vincent


 Treatments

1. Banana + 2 rows Eddoe
 (control)
2. Banana + 2 rows Eddoe
 + 3 rows Cowpeas
3. Banana + 3 rows Eddoe


Symbol


B + 2E

B + 2E + 3C
B + 3E


Planting Pattern
S-- 2.4m ---

B E E B

BCECECB
B EEE B


Experiment 2 (Mesopotamia Valley, St. Vincent)


 Treatments
1. Banana + 2 rows Dasheen
 (control)
2. Banana + 2 rows Dasheen
 + 3 rows Cowpeas
3. Banana + 3 rows Dasheen
4. Banana + 5 rows

 Groundnuts


Symbol

B + 2D

B + 2D + 3C
B + 3D

B + 5G


Planting Pattern

B D D B

BCDCDCB
B DDD B

BGG GGGB


Experiment 3 (Middle Rainfall Zone, Grenada)


 Treatments
1. Banana + 1 row Tannia
 (control)
2. Banana + 1 row Tannia +
 4 rows Snapbeans
3. Banana + 1 row Tannia +
 4 rows Maize
4. Banana + 2 rows Tannia
5. Banana + 2 rows Tannia +
 3 rows Snapbeans


Symbol

B + IT

B + 1T + 4S

B + 1T + 4M
B + 2T


Planting Pattern

B T B

BSSTSSB

BMMTMMB
B T T B


B + 2T + 3S B STSTSB


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