Abstract:
Betel is considered as one of the export agriculture crops with a high economic value.
Shelterbelts are used to change the microclimate around cultivated crops, which
could influence the physiological processes of crops. The betel farmers are used to having
shelterbelts for their cultivation as a tradition, and the porosity of the shelterbelt
differs from farmer to farmer based on their preferences. This study was conducted
to evaluate the effect of shelterbelts on the growth and yield of betel and to identify
the ideal porosity level of the shelterbelts. The porosity of shelterbelts was manipulated
by changing the distance between coconut Cadjan, which was established 6” (T2),
12” (T3), and 24” apart (T4) to make shelterbelts. Plots without shelterbelts were the
controls (T1). The experiment was laid out in a RCBD with three replicates and was
conducted at the Intercropping and Betel Research Station, Narammala, in the year
2023. Results showed that leaf width, leaf length, number of leaves, number of lateral
branches and vine height were significantly (p<0.05) higher in all treatments compared
to the control. The three shelterbelt treatments were non-significant. The study clearly
shows that there was a significant effect of shelterbelts on the growth performance
and quality parameters of betel vine. This study suggests betel farmers use any of the
tested porosity levels for effective cultivation and further studies are required for the
validation of results on different climatic zones of Sri Lanka.
