Journal of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Effects of High Intensity Tillage Applications to Improve Productivity on Established Teak (Tectona Grandis) Plantations in Specific Site Conditions in Northern Costa Rica
Elemer Briceño-Elizondo, Dagoberto Arias-Aguilar, Mario Guevara-Bonilla, Edwin Esquivel-Segura, Marcela Arguedas-Gamboa, Rodolfo Canessa-Mora, Adrian Chavarría-Vidal, Björn Jakobsen

Abstract
Available land for Teak (Tectona grandis L. f.), cultivation has specific chemical and physical limitations to productivity of tea plantations, which requires further study and possible solutions. This research has addressed improvements of soil conditions to enhance growth, by applying physical not used in reforestation. A three-block experimental design was established using eight treatments, combining the effect of two deep tillage levels and three “intensities” of tillage implements, using 1, 3 and 5 Chisel ploughs; additionally two treatments more including a fertilized non-tilt treatment and a control plot. The experiment was conducted at a 4 years of ageestablished plantation, with a 2.8 x 3 m spacing with no previous soil preparation. Physical conditions such as bulk density and shear resistance were improved, however growth responses area inconclusive relative to control treatments, indicating that root pruning might have been severe and that the plantation has not yet reacted to improved conditions.

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