Enhancing Agroforestry Productivity through Organic Nutrient Management: The Case of Pinto Bean Intercropped with Kakawate in La Union, Philippines

Agroforestry systems offer promising solutions for sustainable land use, yet there remains limited research on optimizing legume-based intercropping strategies, particularly regarding organic fertilization within hedgerow systems. This study evaluated the growth and yield performance of Pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under different organic fertilizer treatments within a Kakawate (Gliricidia sepium) hedgerow alley cropping system. The experiment employed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three blocks and tested four treatments: goat manure, cattle manure, chicken manure, and an unfertilized control. Results showed that the application of animal manures significantly influenced productivity, with goat and cattle manure producing notably higher yields and net income compared to chicken manure and the control. Although key growth parameters, such as survival rate, days to emergence, flowering, and plant height, showed no significant differences across treatments, the overall pod yield and marketable seed weight were significantly improved using goat and cattle manure. Interestingly, the number of non-marketable seeds increased with higher yields, indicating a positive correlation between productivity and seed grading outcomes. It is noteworthy that intercropping Pinto beans did not adversely affect the growth of Kakawate hedgerows, demonstrating the compatibility of this agroforestry model. These findings underscore the potential of integrating leguminous crops like Pinto beans into agroforestry systems using appropriate organic fertilization. Such practices enhance land productivity, diversify farm income, and contribute to sustainable soil management, making them highly relevant for smallholder farmers aiming to maximize the ecological and economic benefits of agroforestry.