ABSTRACT

The ethno-agroforestry practiced by fanners who grow plantain {Musa AAB, false horn) in rainforest ecosystems after clearing and burning of high forest vegetation in the Biase and Akamkpa Areas ofCross River State, Nigeria was student. The activities ofthe fanners from i forest clearing and burning sucker collection and planting, filed maintenance to bunch harvest were monitored. Their perceptions ofthe practice and ethno-agrofbrestry inputs such as ash inputs to the soil following burning and influence of forest belts sunounding the plantain farms were identified and discussed. Soil samples from adjoining forest and cycles of plantain farms were analyzed. Woody plants in adjoining forest belts were identified. Growth and yield parameters measured in sample clumps were; total number of leaves (TNL), number ofsound leaves (NSL), number ofsenescing leaves (NSCL), number ofleaves with tear (NLT), number of dead leaves (NDL), mean leaflength MLL mean leafwidth (MLW) balsamiferum (2), Irvingia spp (0), Klaenedoxa spp (2) Lovoa trichiloides (V) Militia excelsa \ r scleroxylon (2) and Funtumia elastica (0), were identified in the forests surrounding the farms. Important soil nutrients for plantain production were enhanced following slashing and burning (K=0.45me/100gns, Mg=2.40me/100gms, Om% = 3.39, PH (H20) =6.43). Analysis of variance of growth parameters in virgin forest land plantain (VFLP), forest fallow land plantain (FFLP) and home garden land plantain (HGLP) showed that TNL (7.55 to 7.90 ± 0.38) did not differ significantly in the three ecosystem farms. Mean NSL (3.30 to4.90±0.38 ! I * ( \ NSCL (2.70 to 3.85 ± 0.23), NLT (1.75 to 6.55 ± 0.32), NDL (5.65 to8.45±0.89), PG (33.90 to 69.59 ±5.19cm), PH (2.07 to 3.3 ±0.16m) differed significantly (P=0.0I). pattern of development ofthe different parameters though the growth cycle of about 12 months after pseudostem girth (PG) and pseudostem height (PH), 43 woody plants including high tariff I / .. ;■ .■ tj- -■ "'ll--!: . ■ '•> species such as Brachystegia spp (1), Diospyros mespiliformis (1) Gosweilerodendron.