Performance of Coleus aromaticus (Ajma Paan), Centella asiatica (Brahmi) and Psoralea corylifolia (Babchi) grown as an intercrop under different tree species in South Gujarat
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Date
2016-05
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Silviculture and Agroforestry Dept., ACHF, NAU, Navsari
Abstract
The present investigation was carried out at the Instructional Farm, ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari in the year 2015. Three medicinal crops viz., Coleus aromaticus Benth. (C1), Centella asiatica L. (C2) and Psoralea corylifolia L. (C3) were grown under three forest tree species viz., Terminalia arjuna Bedd. (T1), Mitragyna parvifolia Korth. (T2), Adina cordifolia Roxb. (T3) and in one open field (T0). Completely Randomized Design with factorial concept (FCRD) along with four replications was used to analyze data generated.
Significantly maximum height, number of leaves, collar diameter, number of secondary roots, shoot length, root length, fresh weight of shoot and root, dry weight of shoot and root, number of secondary roots, yield per plot and yield per hectare of different medicinal crops were recorded under T1 (Arjun) as compared to T2 (Kalam), T3 (Haldu) and T0 (open).
Out of three medicinal crops, maximum number of leaves, collar diameter and number of secondary roots were recorded for Coleus aromatics. Whereas, maximum height, leaf area and root length were recorded for Psoralea corylifolia. Moreover maximum shoot length was recorded in Centella asiatica. Among intercrops, Coleus aromatics accrued highest net returns and BCR from biomass under Terminalia arjuna.
The findings of the study substantiate that integration of Coleus aromatics, Centella asiatica and Psoralea corylifolia under Terminalia arjuna proved beneficial due to positive tree-crop interface giving higher yield and net returns, followed by Mitragyna parvifolia. Thus, these systems can be adopted as an economically sustainable agroforestry system. Also, in future tree and crop combination may be even more profitable when yield of wood will be taken into consideration while calculating the economics tree component.
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