Growth and development
Whole plant samples of both rubber and banana were harvested periodically
for growth analyses. In addition, height and girth at 0.9 m above the bud-grafted
union of rubber, were measured for ten plants at the centre of each plot, coinciding
with the destructive growth analysis. Whilst regular growth analyses of both crops
were limited to the period up to 28 months after planting (MAP), girth measurements
of rubber continued for a period of five years. The number of banana plants harvested
in each plot and their bunch weights were recorded throughout the experiment. These
measurements were restricted to the main experiment at Kuruwita. In addition, girth
and height of rubber (ten plants per treatment) and fresh weight of banana (i.e. four
plants per sole crop and for each row position in the intercrops) were measured at the
end of the experiment (28 MAP) at the Pallegoda site.