Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is grown across a wide range of agro-climatic zones in India and other tropical and subtropical countries and orchard profitability depends heavily on how the interspace between trees is managed during the early bearing years. Marigold (Tagetes spp.) is increasingly used as an intercrop in fruit orchards not only as a short-duration cash crop but also as a biological tool that shapes rhizosphere biology and deters certain insect pests. This article brings together evidence on how marigold intercropping influences guava growth parameters, yield, fruit quality and the pressure of major pests such as root-knot nematodes and fruit flies. The available literature indicates that marigold intercropping generally improves soil moisture retention, nutrient cycling and beneficial microbial activity in the rhizosphere which translates into better vegetative growth Sand comparable or improved yield relative to clean-cultivated orchards.
Guava–Marigold Intercropping: A Sustainable Approach to Orchard Productivity and Integrated Pest Management
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References
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