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Causes of Irregular Clove Production in the Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

Peter J. Martin
Affiliation:
Clove Research Project, Ministry of Agriculture, PO Box 159, Zanzibar, Tanzania
David R. Butler*
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol, Long Ashton Research Station, Long Ashton, Bristol, England
Andrew J. Dabek
Affiliation:
Clove Research Project, Ministry of Agriculture, PO Box 159, Zanzibar, Tanzania
*
Correspondence and requests for reprints should be directed to David Butler.

Summary

In spite of large year-to-year variations in clove yields, production in the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba is often in synchrony and the annual harvests of the two islands are correlated with similar variables. Clove harvests are positively correlated with rainfall in October to February two years before the harvest and negatively correlated with the harvest in the previous year and rainfall around July, and October to December of the year before the harvest. It is likely that rainfall in these periods affects vegetative growth of the clove tree and clove bud differentiation.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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References

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