PRODUCTIVITY AND NUTRIENT CYCLING OF A JAVA']JAVANESE HOMEGARDEN

In a 0.13 ha homegarden in West Java, Indonesia, a 16-week study of production, nutrient in- and outputs as well as internal circulation was carried out in 19S9. Total annual agricultural production was 11.4 t ha(-1), of which 6.8 t ha(-1) were timber and firewood. Two thirds of the production was sold, the rest consumed by the owners. The productivity is more than twice the productivity of ricefields in the area, but can be raised further. Nutrient inputs in rainfall, streamwater and via N-fixation were estimated to a total of: 33 kg N, 7 kg P, 115 kg K, 79 kg Ca and 55 kg Mg ha(-1) yr(-1). Outputs in streamwater, harvest sold and erosion were estimated at: 42 kg N, 11 kg P, 151 kg K, 278 kg Ca and 83 kg Mg. Litterfall and pruning returned 10.0 and 7.5 t dry matter, respectively, per hectare to the soil annually. Throughfall was on average 92% of incident rainfall. Total amounts of nutrients circulated internally in the homegarden each year were estimated al: 223 kg N, 38 kg P, 373 kg K, 135 kg Ca and 50 kg Mg per hectare. This corresponded to 22, 44, 50, 20 and 30% of nutrients stored in the plant biomass, respectively. The balance is negative for all elements, the magnitude depending on whether the part of harvest consumed by the family itself is regarded as internal circulation or as an output. Compared to available soil reserves the system is likely to be sustainable for many years ahead, but may be vulnerable because of the high fraction of plant nutrient storage cycled annually.