Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Advantages, disadvantages and desirable characteristics of shade trees for coffee, cacao and tea

  • Published:
Agroforestry Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A review is made of the ecological interactions that occur between shade trees and the perennial crops: coffee (Coffee spp. L.), cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) and tea (Camellia sinensis L. Kuntze). These interactions are classified firstly as advantages or disadvantages, and secondly as: effects on crop management; effects on the hydrological cycle; effects on pathogens, insects and climatic conditions; and effects on soils. References are given for the 20 advantageous and 16 disadvantageous consequences of using shade trees, emphasizing publications that provide original data and useful methodologies. Finally a check list of desirable characteristics for perennial crop shade trees is presented.

Resumen

Se hace revisión de las interacciones ecológicas que ocurren entre árboles de sombra y los cultivos perennes: café (Coffee spp. L.), cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) y té (Camellia sinensis L. Kuntze). Estas interacciones fueron clasificadas en primer nivel como ventajas o desventajas, y en segundo nivel como: efectos sobre manejo de los cultivos; efectos sobre el ciclo hidrológico; efectos sobre patógenos, insectos y condiciones climáticas; y afectos sobre los suelos. Se dan referencias para 20 consecuencias ventajosas y 16 consecuencias desventajosas al utilizar árboles de sombra, dando énfasis a publicaciones que proveen datos originales y metodologias útiles. Finalmente se presenta una lista de las características deseables para árboles de sombra para cultivos perennes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Akenkorah Y, Akrofi GS and Adri AK (1974) The end of the first cocoa shade and manurial experiment at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana. J Hortic Sci 49:43–51

    Google Scholar 

  2. Alvim P De T (1958) El problema del sombreamiento del cacao desde el punto de vista fisiológico. Agronomia (La Molina) 25:34–42

    Google Scholar 

  3. Alvim P De T (1960) Las necesidades de agua del cacao. Turrialba 10:6–16

    Google Scholar 

  4. Alvim P De T (1977) Cacao. III. Climate. In: Alvim P De T, Kozlowski TT, eds, Ecophysiology of tropical crops, pp 280–289. New York, Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ampofo ST and Bonaparte EE (1981) Flushing flowering and pod-setting of hybrid cocoa in a cocoa/shade/spacing/ cultivar experiment. In: Proc VII Int Cocoa Res Conf, Cameroun, 1979, pp 103–108. Lagos/Nigeria. Cocoa Producers Alliance

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ananth BR, Iyengar BRV and Chokkanna NG (1960) Studies on the seasonal variations of plant foods under different shade trees. Indian Coffee 24:347–61

    Google Scholar 

  7. Anaya AL, Ocotha GR, Ortiz LM and Ramos L (1982) Potencial alelopático de las principales plantas de un cafetal. In: Jiménez AE, Gómez-Pompa A, eds, Estudios ecológicos en el agroecosistema cafetalero, pp 85–94. Xalapa/Mexico. INIREB

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bainbridge R, Evans GC and Rackham O (1966) eds, Light as an ecological factor. Oxford/England. Blackwell. 452 p

    Google Scholar 

  9. Baker RED (1941) Immortelle disease. Trop Agric 18:96–101

    Google Scholar 

  10. Barua DN and Sarma PC (1983) Effect of leaf-pose and shade on yield of cultivated tea. Hortic Abstr No.3807 53(5):374. (Indian J Agric Sci 52(10):653–656. 1982)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Beer JW (1980) Cordia alliodora with Theobroma cacao: A traditional agroforestry combination in the humid tropics, Turrialba/Costa Rica. CATIE, 5 p. (mimeo)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Beer JW (1986) Nitrogen fixation and litter production in agroforestry combinations of coffee and cacao (Submitted to Plant Soil)

  13. Beer JW, Clarkin KL, De Las Salas G, and Glover NL (1981) A case study of traditional agro-forestry practices in a wet tropical zone: The “La Suiza” project. In: Chavarría M, ed, Las ciencias forestales y su contribución al desarrollo de la América Tropical, pp 191–209. San José/Costa Rica. CONICIT-INTERCIENCIA-SCITEC

    Google Scholar 

  14. Bermudez MM (1980) Erosión hidrica y escorrentia superficial en el sistema de café (Coffea arabica L.) poró (Erythrina poeppigiana (Walper) O.F. Cook) en Turrialba, Costa Rica. M. Sc. Thesis. Turrialba/Costa Rica. CATIE-UCR. 74 p

    Google Scholar 

  15. Bonaparte EE (1967) Interspecific competition in a cocoa shade and fertilizer experiment. Trop Agric 44:13–19

    Google Scholar 

  16. Budowski G (1981) Applicability of agro-forestry systems. In: MacDonald LH, ed, Agro-forestry in the african humid tropics, pp 13–16. Tokyo/Japan. United Nations University

    Google Scholar 

  17. Byrne PN (1972) Cacao shade spacing and fertilizing trial in Papua and New Guinea. In: IV Int Cocoa Res Conf, Trinidad 1972, pp 275–286. St. Augustine/Trinidad and Tobago

  18. Cabala P, Miranda ER and Santana CJL (1972) Interaction sombra fertilizantes en cacaotales de Bahia. In: IV Int Cocoa Res Conf, Trinidad 1972, pp 181–189. St. Augustine/Trinidad and Tobago

  19. Carvalho A, Krug CA, Mendes JET, Antunes F, Junqueira AR, Aloisi J, Rocha TR and Moraes MV (1961) Melhoramento do caffeiro. Bragantia 20:1045–1142

    Google Scholar 

  20. Castillo J (1960) Rendimiento de las variedades Typica y Boubon del C. arabica L., en diferentes condiciones de cultivo. Cenicafe 11(5):137–142

    Google Scholar 

  21. Combe J and Budowski G (1979) Classification of agro-forestry techniques. In: De las Salas G, ed, Proc agro-forestry systems in Latin America, pp 17–47. Turrialba/Costa Rica. CATIE

    Google Scholar 

  22. Cook OF (1901) Shade in coffee culture. Washington, US Dep Agric Bull No. 25. 79 p

  23. Cunningham RK (1959) A review of the use of shade and fertilizer in the culture of cocoa. London, England. West African Cocoa Research Institute. Tech Bull No. 6. 15 p

    Google Scholar 

  24. Cunningham RK (1963) What shade and fertilizers are needed for good cocoa production. Cocoa Growers Bull 1:11–16

    Google Scholar 

  25. Cunningham RK and Lamb J (1959) A cocoa shade and manurial experiment at the West African Cocoa Research Institute, Ghana. I. First year. J Hortic Sci 34:14–22

    Google Scholar 

  26. Cunningham RK and Arnold PW (1962) The shade and fertilizer requirements of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in Ghana. J Sci Food Agric 13:213–221

    Google Scholar 

  27. Dakwa JT (1980) The effects of shade and NPK fertilizers on the incidence of cocoa black pod disease in Ghana. Hortic Abstr No. 2164. 50(3):187. (Ghana J Agric Sci 9(3):179–184.1976)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Dutta AC (1978) Shade trees, green crop and cover crop plants in the tea estates of North East India. Hortic Abstr No. 4094. 48(4):357 (Jorhat/Assam. Tocklai Exp Stn. Memo No. 30, 1977, 128 p)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Enriquez GA (1986) Respuesta del cacao hibrido a dos sistemas de sombra en Turrialba, Costa Rica. In: Beer JW, Heuveldop J, Fassbender HW, eds, Proc: Seminar advances in agro-forestry research. Turrialba/Costa Rica. CATIE. (In preparation)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Escalante G, Herrera R and Aranguren J (1984) Fijacion de nitrogeno en árboles de sombra (Erythrina poeppigiana) en cacaotales del Norte de Venezuela. Pesqui Agropecu Bras 19 (Special Volume):223–230

    Google Scholar 

  31. Evans H and Murray DB (1953) A shade and fertilizer experiment on young cacao. In: Rep Cacao Res 1945–51, pp. 67–76. St. Augustine/Trinidad. Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture

    Google Scholar 

  32. Fassbender HW, Alpizar L, Heuveldop J, Enriquez G and Folster H (1986) Sistemas agroforestales de café (Coffea arabica) con laurel (Cordia alliodora) y café con poró (Erythrina poeppigiana) en Turrialba, Costa Rica. III Modelos de la materia orgánica y los elementos nutritivos. Turrialba (In press)

  33. Fordham R (1972) Irrigation and shade experiment, Las Hermanas. In: Annu Rep on Cacao Res 1971, pp 38–46. St. Augustine/Trinidad. Univ W Indies

    Google Scholar 

  34. Folster LJ and Wood RA (1963) Observations on the effects of shade and irrigation on soil-moisture utilization under coffee in Nyasaland. Emp J of Exp Agric 31:108–114

    Google Scholar 

  35. Fournier LA (1980) Fundamentos ecologicos del cultivo de café. San José/Costa Rica. IICA, Promecafe. Publ Misc No. 230. 29 p

    Google Scholar 

  36. Franco CM (1951) A agua do solo eo sombreamento dos cafezais na America Central. Bragantia 11(4–6):99–119

    Google Scholar 

  37. Gehrke MR (1962) Distribution of absorbing roots of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) and rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Agr.) in mixed plantings in two ecological zones of Costa Rica. M. Sc. Thesis. Turrialba/Costa Rica. IICA. 117 p

    Google Scholar 

  38. Glover N and Beer JW (1984) Spatial and temporal fluctuations of litterfall in the agro-forestry associations Coffea arabica var. Caturra — Erythrina poeppigiana and C. arabica var. Caturra — E. poeppigiana — Cordia alliodora. Turrialba/Costa Rica. CATIE. 49 p (mimeo)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Glover N and Beer JW (1986) Nutrient cycling in two traditional Central American agro-forestry systems. Agro-forestry Systems. (In press)

  40. Gogoi BN (1977) A review of research on shade in tea. Hortic Abstr No. 10996. 47(11):917. (Two Bud 23(2):67–73. 1976)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Govindarajan AG (1969) Shade trees for coffee. IX Syzygium jambolanum D.C. Indian Coffee 33(7):219–224

    Google Scholar 

  42. Greenwood M and Posnette AF (1950) The growth flushes of cacao. J Hortic Sci 25:164–74

    Google Scholar 

  43. Gutierrez ZG and Soto B (1976) Arboles usados como sombra en café y cacao. Rev Cafetalera (Guatem) 18:27–32

    Google Scholar 

  44. Haarer AE (1962) Modern Coffee Production. London. Leonard Hill. 495 p

    Google Scholar 

  45. Hadfield W (1968) Leaf temperature, leaf pose, and productivity of the tea bush. Nature 219:282–4

    Google Scholar 

  46. Hadfield W (1974) Shade in North-East Indian tea plantations. I. The shade pattern. J Appl Ecol 11:151–78

    Google Scholar 

  47. Hadfield W (1981) Climatic constraints in Ecuadorian cocoa production. In: Proc VII Int Cocoa Res Conf, Cameroun, 1979, pp. 13–24. Lagos/Nigeria. Cocoa Producers Alliance

    Google Scholar 

  48. Hardy F (1962) La sombra del cacao en relación con la intercepción de lluvia. Turrialba 12:80–86

    Google Scholar 

  49. Heuveldop J, Alpizar L, Fassbender HW, Enriquez G and Folster H (1986) Sistemas agroforestales de café (Coffea arabica) con laurel (Cordia alliodora) y café con poró (Erythrina poeppigiana) en Turrialba, Costa Rica. II. Production agricola, maderable y de residuos vegetales. Turrialba (In press)

  50. Hilton PJ (1974) The effect of shade upon the chemical composition of the flush of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Trop Sci 16(1):15–22

    Google Scholar 

  51. Holdridge LR (1957) Arboles de sombra para el cacao. In: Erickson AL, ed, Manual del curso de cacao, pp 113–117. Turrialba/Costa Rica. IICA

    Google Scholar 

  52. Holland TH (1931) The green manuring of tea, coffee and cacao. Trop Agric (Colombo) 77:71–98, 197–218

    Google Scholar 

  53. Hurd RG and Cunningham RK (1961) A cocoa shade and manurial experiment at the West African Cocoa Research Institute Ghana. III. Physiological results. J Hortic Sci 36:126–37

    Google Scholar 

  54. Jimenez AE and Golberg AD (1982) Estudios ecológicas del agroecosistema cafetalero III. Efecto de diferentes estructuras vegetales sobre el balance hidrico del cafetal. In: Jiménez AE, Gómez-Pompa A, eds, Estudios ecológicos en el agroecosistema cafetalero, pp 39–54. Xalapa/México. INIREB

    Google Scholar 

  55. Jimenez VG (1980) Asociación de especies frutales con cacao. Turrialba/Costa Rica. CATIE. 16 p (mimeo)

    Google Scholar 

  56. Jimenez VG (1980) El sombreamiento de cacao. Turrialba/Costa Rica. CATIE. 26 p (mimeo)

    Google Scholar 

  57. Laycock DH and Wood RA (1963) Some observations on soil moisture use under tea in Nysaland. II. The effect of shade trees. Trop Agric 40:42–48

    Google Scholar 

  58. Leite J de O (1972) Medida de densidade de sombreamento em cacausais com base em fotografias aéreas. In: Proc. IV Int Cocoa Res Conf, Trinidad 1972, pp 300–311. St. Augustine/Trinidad and Tobago

  59. Leite RM de O, Alvim R and Alvim P de T (1981) Effects of wind and solar radiation on the mechanical rupture of the cacao pulvinus (Abstract) In: Proc VII Int Cocoa Res Conf, Cameroun, 1979, p 129. Lagos/Nigeria. Cocoa Producers Alliance

    Google Scholar 

  60. Lemee G (1955) Influence de l'alimentation en eau et de l'ombrage sur l'economie hydrique et la photosythese du cacaoyer. Agron Trop 10(5):592–603

    Google Scholar 

  61. Letousey R (1955) Les arbres d'ombrage des plantations agricoles Camerounaises. Bois For Trop 42:15–25

    Google Scholar 

  62. Macmillan HF (1943) Tropical planting and gardening. Macmillan. London. pp 208–214

    Google Scholar 

  63. Martinez A and Enriquez G (1981) La sombra para el cacao. Turrialba/Costa Rica. CATIE. Bol Téc No. 5. 93 p

    Google Scholar 

  64. McClelland TL (1935) Coffee shade in Kenya. East Afr Agric J 1(2):107–118

    Google Scholar 

  65. McCulloch JSG, Pereira HC, Kerfoot O and Goodchild NA (1965) Effect of shade trees on tea yields. Agric Meteorol 2:385–99

    Google Scholar 

  66. Montes S (1979) Estudios del porcentaje de granos vanos, y el rendimiento en Coffea arabica var. ‘Caturra Rojo’ y ‘Amarillo’ en plantaciones al sol y a la sombra. Ciencia y Técnica en la Agricultura: Café Cacao 1(1–2):35–45

    Google Scholar 

  67. Murray DB (1956) Shade trees for cacao. In: Rep Cacao Res 1955–56, pp 45–47. Trinidad. Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture

    Google Scholar 

  68. Murray DB (1956) The use of shade for cacao. Conf Interam Cacau, 6th, 1956. pp 111–116. Bahia/Brasil

  69. Murray DB and Nichols R (1966) Light, shade and growth in some tropical plants. In: Bainbridge R, Evans GC, Rackham O, eds, Light as an ecological factor. pp 249–263. Oxford/England. Blackwell

    Google Scholar 

  70. Nair PKR (1979) Intensive multiple cropping with coconuts in India: principles, programmes and prospects. Berlin/Germany. Parey. 147 p

    Google Scholar 

  71. Nair PKR (1980) Agro-forestry species: A crop sheets manual. Nairobi/Kenya. ICRAF. 336 p

    Google Scholar 

  72. Nataraj T and Subramanian S (1975) Effects of shade and exposure on the incidence of brown-eye-spot of coffee. Indian Coffee 39(6):179–180

    Google Scholar 

  73. Obaga SO (1985) Shade trees in tea — a review. Hortic Abstr No. 4010. 55(5):409. (Tea 5(1):39–47. 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  74. Ostendorf FW (1962) The coffee shade problem. Trop Abstr 17:577–581

    Google Scholar 

  75. Poncin L (1958) The use of shade at Lukolela Plantations. In: Rep Cocoa Conf 1957, pp 281–288. London. The Cocoa, Chocolate and Confectionary Alliance

    Google Scholar 

  76. Purseglove JW (1968) Tropical Crops: Dicotyledons. Harlow. Longman. 719 p

    Google Scholar 

  77. Rietveld WJ (1979) Ecological implications of allelopathy in forestry. In: Holt HA, Fisher BC, eds, John S. Wright For Conf, pp 91–112. Purdue/Indiana. Purdue Univ

    Google Scholar 

  78. Robertson GP Herrera R and Rosswall T, eds, (1982) Nitrogen cycling in ecosystem of the latin America and the Caribbean. Plant Soil 67 (Special Volume): 241–291

  79. Robinson JBD, ed, (1964) A handbook on Arabica coffee in Tanganyika. Tanganyika. Tanganyika Coffee Board. 182 p

    Google Scholar 

  80. Santana MB and Cabala P (1985) Reciclagem de nutrientes em uma plantacao de cacau sombreada com Eritrina. In: Proc IX Int Cocoa Res Conf, Togo 1984, pp 205–210. Lagos/Nigeria. Cocoa Producers Alliance

    Google Scholar 

  81. Santos MO and Lebao DE (1982) Sombreamento definitivo do cacaueiro. Ilheus/Bahia/Brasil. Comissao Executiva do Plano da Lavoura Cacaueira. 24 p

    Google Scholar 

  82. Schroeder R (1951) Resultados obtenidos de una investigación del micro-clima en un cafetal. Cenicafe 2(18):33–43

    Google Scholar 

  83. Smith ESC (1981) The interrelationships between shade types and cocoa pest and disease problems in Papua New Guinea. In: Proc VII Int Cocoa Res Conf, Cameroun 1979, pp. 37–43. Lagos/Nigeria. Cocoa Producers Alliance

    Google Scholar 

  84. Somarriba E and Beer JW (1986) Dimensions, volumes and growth of Cordia alliodora in agro-forestry systems. (Submitted to For Ecol Manag)

  85. Suarez De Castro F (1951) Experimentos sobre la eroión de los suelos. Chinchilla, Colombia, Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia. Bol Tec No. 6. 44 p.

    Google Scholar 

  86. Suarez De Castro F (1952) Potencialidad erosiva de las lluvias dentro de un cafetal y al aire libre. Cenicafe. 3(32):21–31

    Google Scholar 

  87. Suarez De Castro F, Montenegro L, Aviles PC, Moreno MM and Bolamos M (1961) Efecto del sombrio en los primeros años de vida de un cafetal. Santa Tecla/El Salvador. Inst Salvadoreño Invest Café. 36 p

    Google Scholar 

  88. Tapley RG (1961) Crinkle-leaf of coffee in Tanganyika. Kenya Coffee 26:156–157

    Google Scholar 

  89. Thomas AS (1940) Chapters: IX. Robusta coffee; X. Arabica coffee; XVII Shade Trees. In: Tothill JP, ed, Agriculture in Uganda. London. Oxford Univ Press. 551 p

    Google Scholar 

  90. Vernon AJ (1967) New developments in cocoa shade studies in Ghana. J Sci Food Agric 18:44–48

    Google Scholar 

  91. Vernon AJ (1967) Yield and light relationship in cocoa. Trop Agric 44:223–8

    Google Scholar 

  92. Vicente-Chandler J, Abruma F, Bosque-Lugo R and Silva S (1968) Intensive coffee culture in Puerto Rico. Bull 211. Agric Exp Stn. Univ Puerto Rico. pp 23–28

    Google Scholar 

  93. Vinha SG and Silva LA, (1982) Arvores aproveitadas como sombreadoras de cacaueiros no sul da Bahia e norte do Espirito Santo. Ilheus/Bahia/Brasil. Comissao Executiva do Plano da Lavoura Cacaueira. 136 p

    Google Scholar 

  94. Wiersum KF (1984) Surface erosion under various tropical agro-forestry systems. In: O'Loughlin C L, Pearce AJ, eds, Symposium on effects of forest land use on erosion and slope stability, pp 231–239. Honolulu/Hawaii. East-West Center

    Google Scholar 

  95. Willey RW (1975) The use of shade in coffee, cocoa and tea. Hortic Abstr 45(12):791–798

    Google Scholar 

  96. Wrigley G (1969) Tropical agriculture (The development of production). London/England. Faber. 376 p

    Google Scholar 

  97. Young AM (1984) Flowering and fruit-setting patterns of cocoa trees (Theobroma cacao L.) (Sterculiaceae) at three localities in Costa Rica. Turrialba 34(2):129–142

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. DRNR, CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica

    John Beer

Authors
  1. John Beer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Beer, J. Advantages, disadvantages and desirable characteristics of shade trees for coffee, cacao and tea. Agroforest Syst 5, 3–13 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00046410

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00046410

Key words

Search

Navigation