Plantation Crops

Types of shade trees

• Coffee requires filtered sunlight. It can be provided by providing lower canopy (Temporary ) or upper canopy ( Permanent shade trees).

I) Temporary shade trees / Lower canopy shade trees

• Spacing of temporary shade trees: 6 to 8 m (One shade for every two coffee plants)
• Temporary shade trees are lopped periodically to maintain required light.
• Examples of temporary shade trees:

  1) Erythrina lithosperma : Dadap or halwana
  2) Grevillea robusta : Silver oak

• Tree spices: Nut meg, clove and cinnamon: Spaced at 5 m apart.

II) Permanent shade trees / Upper canopy shade trees
• Spacing: 12 – 14 m
• Ideal shade trees for coffee - Features Aim: To get filtered light