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		Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) Technologies and Agroforestry Systems (IIRR, 1992, 171 p.)
			Message
			Workshop to revise
			List of participants
			Current program thrusts in Upland development
			Degradation of the uplands
			Nutrient cycles in upland farms
			Establishing an swcsystem
			Farm management practices that reinforce SWC
			Traditional soil and water conservation (SWC) technologies
			Options for contour farming:
			Land management practices for improved water conservation
			In-row tillage
			Making an A-frame
			Controlling Cogon and Talahib
			Use of derris as botanical pesticide
			Fire control in the uplands
			Cultural management of pest infestation
			Organic fertilizer sources:
			Biofertilizers
			Selection of cover crops
			Batao in the upland. Cropping system
			Increasing the woody contents in leaf litter
			Examples of indigenous agroforestry systems:

Batao in the upland. Cropping system

Figure

· Batao (Lablab purpureus) or hyacinth bean and com are planted simultaneously at the same hill at the stab of the rainy season.

· Plant population -- 53,333/ha for corn and 5,926/ha for batao

· Batao is planted in hills together with corn so that:

- they will not be damaged during inter-row cultivation;
- no com row is sacrificed for a batao row; and,
- batao can use corn as pole.

· Corn intercrop is managed in the same way as monocrop corn except during harvesting
Harvest only the corn ears. Leave the corn stover to serve as support for the batao.

· Corn stalk can support the batao until its flowering and pod formation. Batao bears more pods when propped than when allowed to grow prostrate on the ground

Batao plant

MANAGEMENT OF BATAO CROP

The first harvesting of green batao pods can start about three weeks after the corn harvest (grain). Harvest the green batao pod every week. There could be 5 to 6 primings or a total green pod harvest of about 2.5 t/ha

Allow the last priming to mature as seed source.

MANAGEMENT OF BATAO HERBAGE

Fodder. After the harvest of pods, batao herbage can be used as fodder for cattle in summer when feeds are scarce.

Green manure. Allow batao to grow beyond the summer period to achieve rapid regrowth at the onset of the rainy season.

Before land preparation for the next crop, either chop the vines with a scythe right on the field or collect and chop them with a mechanical chopper. Vines can also be chopped manually using bolo and chopping board. Chop to a length of 15-20 cm so that it would not hamper the plowing operation.

Working

IMPORTANCE OF BATAO HERBAGE

Spread the chopped herbage on soil surface.

Incorporate the herbage by plowing.

Figure

Note: Other than batao, alternative legume species could also be used, such as winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonalobus). However, it should be planted three weeks after sowing the corn.