Abstract
Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) is a widely grown legume in the Philippines, valued for its high nutritional content and ability to thrive under diverse environmental conditions. However, its productivity is often affected by factors such as limited light and competition for water and nutrients, especially in agroforestry systems where it is cultivated beneath the canopy of trees like banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa L.). Thus, this study determined the response of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) applied with carrageenan as intercropped under banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa L.) trees in Pampanga, Philippines. Specifically, it aims to determine the following: plant height (cm), length of pods per plant (cm), number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod per treatment, weight of pods (g) and percentage survival (%). The results showed that T5 dominantly obtained the highest significant difference among all the parameters at the 1% level. In terms of following parameters, plant height (cm) obtained the highest mean of 61.2 cm, 10.61 cm of length (cm) of pods per plant, 18.13 number of pods per plant, and 11.73 seeds per pod. In terms of survival percentage (%), T5 had the highest percentage of 100% at the 1% level (Pr>F 0.0009), while T0 obtained the lowest percentage of 32.22%. T5 grew, developed, and produced high yields in an open area where sunlight reception was full and no competition for resources occurred. The findings also revealed that environmental factors, particularly light availability and resource competition, played a crucial role in crop performance. The superior performance of T5 in an open area with full sunlight suggests that minimizing competition and optimizing growing conditions are essential for maximizing mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) productivity. Based on the results obtained, the study highlights the potential of carrageenan application to improve the growth and yield of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.). Therefore, enhancing site conditions through sufficient light availability and minimizing competition between plant species is crucial for improving mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) productivity and ensuring successful crop establishment in agroforestry and intercropping systems.
Keywords: Agroforestry; Banaba; Carrageenan; Intercropping; Mungbean.
