INTRODUCTION
Son La is a province in the Northwest mountainous region of Vietnam, with an average altitude of 600 - 700m above sea level. The natural area of the province is 1,417,444 ha, of which agricultural land is 247,684 ha, accounting for 30.09%; Son La's climate is characterized by a tropical monsoon climate; hot and humid summers with heavy rain, cold and dry winters. The terrain is deeply and strongly divided, and transportation is difficult, greatly affecting the socio-economic development of the province.
Thuan Chau is a mountainous district of Son La province, with a natural area of 153,873 hectares and a population of 159,292 people from 6 ethnic groups living in 29 communes and towns. In the development orientation of the province, Thuan Chau is identified as a key economic zone, located on National Highway 6 from Moc Chau to Dien Bien - Lai Chau.
Thuan Chau has a limestone plateau terrain, with an average altitude of 700m. The land in Thuan Chau is suitable for growing crops such as: Rice, Corn, Cassava, Beans, Peanuts, Rubber, Hawthorn, Coffee, Tea, Oranges, medicinal plants... and beekeeping for honey, aquaculture (cage fish, giant freshwater prawns...).
Hawthorn tree, also known as Docynia indica (Wall.), is one of the endemic native trees found only in the high mountains of Son La, Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Lao Cai provinces... where the climate is cool, at an altitude of over 1000m. Hawthorn belongs to the group of forestry trees for non-timber forest products, Hawthorn fruit is used to make wine and soft drinks. More specifically, this fruit also has miraculous properties in medicine, and is a precious medicine. In addition to the main product of fruit, Hawthorn tree has the effect of limiting erosion and protecting land and forest resources, so it has been directed by the People's Committee of Son La province to develop since 2003 in the afforestation programs under Project 661. Hawthorn is a perennial tree, the basic construction period lasts about 5-6 years to bear fruit. In the early stages from the first year to the fourth year, the tree canopy has not closed, the land coverage area is low, and Hawthorn is
planted on steep slopes. Therefore, erosion and leaching are inevitable, causing serious loss of soil nutrients, reducing the productivity of the soil and negatively affecting the environment. On the other hand, the area for planting Son Tra is mainly converted from the people's upland fields, cultivating annual crops, so the phenomenon of erosion and leaching occurs more strongly. In the basic construction phase, when there is no income, people need additional income from intercropping with other crops to ensure their lives, feel secure in cultivating, protecting and developing forest gardens. Intercropping short-term crops (corn, upland rice, soybeans, peanuts...) in fruit and industrial tree gardens in the basic construction phase is a solution with many practical meanings, intercropping does not affect the growth and development of fruit trees, industrial trees increase fertility, limit soil erosion and leaching, bringing certain economic value and increasing income for people. To develop sustainable agriculture, intercropping short-term agricultural crops in fruit and industrial tree gardens during the basic construction phase is extremely necessary, contributing to both soil protection and improving land use efficiency by “taking short-term to support long-term”, while also contributing to reducing labor for weeding and caring for fruit and industrial trees during this phase. Technical measures to improve the efficiency of intercropping some short-term crops in the Hawthorn garden can help us meet these needs.
Based on the above practical needs, we conducted a research on the topic: "Evaluating the effectiveness of the model of intercropping some agricultural crops with Son Tra (Docynia indica) in the basic construction phase in Thuan Chau district, Son La province".
Chapter 1
OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH PROBLEM
1.1. Research situation on Hawthorn
1.1.1. Biological characteristics of the hawthorn tree
- Name, classification: Hawthorn tree or Cat Apple tree ( Docynia indica (Wall.) Decne, 1874.) Belongs to the Rose family (Rosaceae), Order: Rose (Rosales).
Tree 4 - 5 m high, young branches have thorns and white velvet hairs, smooth when old. Lanceolate leaves 7 - 10 cm long, 1.5 - 2 cm wide, young with 3 - 5 lobes, rounded at the base, tapering at the top, leaf margins intact or serrated, white velvet hairs on the underside, 6 - 10 pairs of lateral veins, divided to the edge of the leaf; petiole 15 - 20 mm long. Stipules are awl-shaped, deciduous early.
Inflorescences of 1 - 3 flowers or more, hairy, flower stalks are very short or absent. Calyx has white hairs with 5 pointed lanceolate lobes, hairy on the outside, smooth on the inside. Petals are 5, white, with sharp, small edges. Stamens have 30 - 50 stamens. Ovary has 5 cells, each cell has 3 - 10 ovules, arranged longitudinally of the ovary; styles are 5, attached to each other at the base, hairy. Fruit is like a hawthorn fruit, with black seeds.
Flowering season March - April, fruiting season September - October. Regeneration by seeds, shoots or cuttings.
The tree loves light, grows scattered in forests or in pure populations in shrublands, hillsides, at an altitude of 1000 - 1500 m.
Distribution: In Vietnam: Lai Chau (Phong Tho), Lao Cai (Sa Pa), Cao Bang, Son La (Bac Yen: Ta Xua), Yen Bai.
World: China, India, Myanmar, Thailand.
Value: Ripe fruit is edible. Fresh fruit is used to make wine. Dried fruit is used as a source of medicine to make medicinal wine, cook extract, has the effect of improving health, treating heart disease, high blood pressure and stimulating digestion. Young trees are also used as rootstocks for Hawthorn and Pear species to create fruit trees. Wood can be used to make household utensils and agricultural tools.
Status: Rare species. The fruit is widely used as a medicinal source and is harvested annually by local people (sometimes cutting down the whole tree) for use and sale. This is the reason for the decrease in the number of individuals and the narrowing of the distribution area. Threat level: R.
1.1.2. Chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Hawthorn
Chemical composition:
According to research on Chinese hawthorn, Chinese researchers found that the fruit contains citric acid, tartaric acid, vitamin C, carbohydrates and protein [21].
In 1957, the Chinese Food Research Institute analyzed hawthorn fruit and found 0.7% protein; 0.2% fat; 22% carbohydrates; 0.085% calcium;
phosphorus 0.025%; iron 0.0021%; carotene 0.00082%; vitamin C 0.089% [21].
According to Dharmananda the biological effects of hawthorn are related to
four main groups of compounds: flavonoids (hyperoside, luteolin-7-glucoside, rutin, quercetin, vitexin, vitexin rhamnosides), oligomeric procyanidins and flavans (catechin, epicatechin polymers), triterpene derivatives (oleanolic acid, ursolic acid), organic acids (citric, tartaric, ascorbic), simple phenolics (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid). Flavonoids increase blood flow through the coronary arteries, increase heart rate, dilate coronary arteries, reduce atherosclerosis. Hawthorn also has a good effect in cases of heart blood vessel blockage. Experimental results at the pharmacological laboratory - Russian Institute of Medicinal Plants and Essential Oils show that Hawthorn extract has clear anti-thrombotic properties;
improve oxygen delivery to heart muscle cells; reduce cholesterol, triglycerides, blood viscosity and fibrinogen… [20].
Preliminary research on Vietnamese hawthorn (Lao Cai, Hoang Lien Son) found that hawthorn fruit contains 2.76% tannin, 16.4% sugar, 2.7% organic acid (tarctic, citric calculated as H 2 SO 4 ).
Water-soluble substances (dry extract) are 31%, ash content 2.25% completely soluble in HCl (Le Anh, Department of Medicinal Materials, 1961).
According to research by Dinh Thi Kim Chung (2010), the volume
The average weight of Hawthorn fruit in Yen Bai and Lao Cai regions is 20.5 ± 0.5 g, water accounts for 84.6%, sugar 4.81%, total acid 1.47% and pH is 2.9.
According to the results of qualitative survey of the extract from Hawthorn fruit, it is found that there are enough groups of compounds such as: Flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides that have very effective antibacterial effects. Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid, acetic acid, high enzyme content which is very good for digestion [20].
According to research by the Institute of Food Technology, Ministry of Industry and Trade (2013), hawthorn fruit contains the following main ingredients:
Table 1.1. Results of analysis of the composition of hawthorn fruit juice
Fruit
Total sugar (%) | Total acid (%) | pH | Vitamin C (g/l) | Polyphenols (g/l) | Potassium (g/l) | |
Small fruit, green skin | ||||||
Green fruit | 4.10 | 1.38 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 0.98 | - |
rotten fruit | 4.80 | 1.82 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 1.03 | 2,250 |
Ripe fruit | 5.06 | 1.64 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.87 | - |
Big fruit, yellow skin | ||||||
Green fruit | 4.30 | 1.40 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 0.88 | - |
rotten fruit | 4.72 | 1.62 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 0.94 | 2,102 |
Ripe fruit | 5.17 | 1.68 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 0.95 | - |
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Pharmacological effects:
Hawthorn fruit or Chinese hawthorn is commonly used in Oriental medicine, can be used as a substitute or similar to medicine. Hawthorn has many effects such as being a tonic for the spleen and stomach, stimulating digestion, helping to eat well, easy to digest, preventing bloating, heartburn, helping to strengthen immunity, reducing cholesterol, lowering blood fat, bloody stools, treating body aches and pains... in the form of decoction, liquid extract or powder to drink.
Most notably, it has the effect of lowering blood pressure by dilating peripheral blood vessels.
vi. On the other hand, it also helps lower blood fat, prevent blood clots, dilate coronary arteries, improve myocardial contractility, and actively prevent complications caused by high blood pressure.
In addition, they also have the effect of inhibiting bacteria: typhoid, diphtheria, dysentery, staphylococcus aureus, reducing respiratory failure...
In Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Thanh Loan's research (2011) showed the anti-obesity and weight-reducing effects of Docynia indica (Wall.) Decne fruit extract on an experimental obese mouse model. According to Vu Thi Hanh Tam, the lipid-lowering and blood-sugar-lowering role of Hawthorn fruit extract on mice was recorded. Hoang Thi Minh Tan: Hawthorn fruit and leaves have the ability to prevent glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. Vu Thi Hue and Bui Thi Viet Ha have conducted preliminary studies recording the antibacterial effects of Hawthorn fruit fermentation [19].
Physician Dinh Cong Bay said: Hawthorn has a sweet and sour taste, is slightly warm, and enters the liver, spleen, and stomach meridians. It belongs to the group of digestive medicines that help digestion by increasing the secretion of bile acids and pepsin in gastric juice. Its main use is to treat digestive disorders caused by eating too much meat and fat, and children who cannot digest milk.
Recent studies show that Hawthorn contains citric acid, crataegic acid, vitamin C, carbohydrates, protein, lipid, calcium, phosphorus, choline, acetylcholine, phytosterin. The above uses of Hawthorn are related to
five groups of compounds: flavonoids, oligomeric procyanidins, flavans, triterpene derivatives, and organic acids. Flavonoids increase coronary blood flow, increase heart rate, dilate coronary arteries, and reduce atherosclerosis [21].
According to a study by the Department of Biology, University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Hawthorn vinegar has antibacterial activity against bacteria that cause upper respiratory tract infections (moraxella catarrhalis) thanks to the action of two main factors. First, the Bacillus altitudinis TM1.2 strain isolated from vinegar can inhibit the growth of Moraxella catarrhalis bacteria . Second, Hawthorn contains natural biologically active substances that can help fight bacteria that cause upper respiratory tract infections.
1.2. Research situation on intercropping
1.2.1. Some arguments about intercropping
The main goal of the landowners is to maximize the use of land and obtain the most products from their land while maintaining soil fertility. One of the possibilities to meet this goal is to exploit the land in a cropping system called "intercropping". Boursard (1982) defined intercropping as the combination of different crops on the same area to create a multi-layered vegetation complex, meaning that there is a suitable mutual connection between crops with different shapes and root systems, so that this crop complex receives the most solar energy at different heights and the root system is exploited at different soil layers.
Korikanthimath et al. (1994) stated that intercropping or mixed cropping by crop diversification is the opposite of monocropping. The main purpose of diversification is to avoid over-dependence on one type of product of minor crops. The efficiency of the primary sources of crop production such as
Space, land, solar radiation and water can be maximized by adopting intensive farming systems such as multi-level farming, multi-level farming systems are essentially polyculture systems with different crop compositions [29].
Doan Van Diem (1997) stated that intercropping plants with different radiation intensity requirements is a very effective measure, both saving space and not wasting energy. Some intercropped plants have beneficial interactions due to complementary nutrition [1].
Willey (1979) defined it as two or more crops grown together on the same plot of land, which can be sown together or harvested at the same time. Intercropping or multi-cropping contributes to diversifying production and income, helps maintain biodiversity, and counteracts risks due to ecological and market fluctuations. It also helps in ecological conservation and this is essential not only to maintain ideal production conditions but also to protect the environment for future generations (Rajendra Hedge, 1995) [34,48].
The term “Multi-layer farming” was used by Patil (1990) to refer to crop combinations consisting of many species of different heights, with different early and late production times, living together at the same time, on the same land, but in which there is always the presence of at least one perennial woody species [27]. Hedge (1995) affirmed that 3-layer farming contributes to maximizing productivity and income, it helps maintain biodiversity, against risks due to ecological and market fluctuations. It helps in ecological conservation, which is essential not only to maintain ideal production conditions but also to protect the environment for future generations [25].
The presence of woody plants in cropping systems makes orchards agroforestry. In this sense, multi-layered farming systems are