Factors studied

Positive effects

Negative effects

- Additional working time to be expected

- Fewer herbicide purchases if the service plant is mulched and if the quantity of mulch is sufficient to slow down the emergence/growth of weeds.

- Less purchases of fertilizers at the start of cultivation if the previous service plants restores fertilizing elements (case of legumes).

- Increase in income at the end of the first 2 years after adopting sanitizing fallows compared to a monoculture of bananas.

- Additional purchases of seeds and specific equipment (seeders, angle rollers, etc.).

- No production during the presence of certain service plants on the plot.

- Transitory drop in income during the first 2 to 3 years after adopting the rotation with Brachiaria due to a drop in banana yield.

- Increase in banana crop yields at the end of the first 2 years after the adoption of rotation with Brachiaria.

- Maintenance of a low nematode infestation.

- Reduced incidence of bacterial wilt (R. solanacearum).

- Competition with weeds.

- Limitation of erosion.

- Restoration of soil structure and fertility.

- One of the answers for phytosanitary problems for which there is no chemical solution.

- Avoidance of bare soil during intercropping.

- Less pesticide residues.

- Increase in cultivated biodiversity.

- Increase in fuel which can be compensated if phytosanitary treatments are avoided.

- Increased fuel consumption for sowing and additional maintenance.