Effect of agri-silvi-horticultural system on soil properties under semi-arid conditions
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Date
2019
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CCSHAU
Abstract
The present investigation entitled “Effect of agri-silvi-horticultural system on soil properties under semi- arid conditions” at Research Farm of Forestry Department, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2017-18 to evaluate the effect of agri-silvi-horticultural system on soil physical, chemical and biological properties and also to study the effect of agri-silvi-horticultural system on yield and nutrient uptake by wheat. Soil samples from different tree based systems (kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat & kinnow + wheat) and control (devoid of tree) were analyzed for different soil properties at 0-15, 15-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm depth. Soil pH and electrical conductivity reduced significantly under kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat by 1.5% and 25%, respectively over control. The kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat system showed higher amount for organic carbon and available nutrients (N, P and K) than sole cropping at different depths. The highest soil organic carbon (0.40%) was observed under kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat system followed by kinnow + wheat (0.37%) and it was lowest in system without trees (0.27%). Significant increment in available nitrogen was observed under kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat system by 47.9% and 33.7% under kinnow + wheat system over control. Available nitrogen was also found significantly higher (144.5 kg/ha) at 0-15 cm depth as compared to deeper layers. Different tree based system and depth significantly affected the DTPA extractable micronutrients (Zn, Mn, Cu and Fe) contents in soil. The NH4+-N and NO3--N improved significantly under tree based system. Higher percent addition in dehydrogenase and alkaline phophatase activity was recorded in kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat (69.3 and 33.8% respectively) followed by kinnow + wheat (39.6 and 12.2% respectively) over control. The percent increment for microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and urease activity was highest under kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat (50.3 and 31.9%) followed by kinnow + wheat (28.9 and 12.3%) over control. The maximum leaf litter production was found under kinnow plus eucalyptus system (72.5 q/ha) over kinnow plus wheat system (26.1 q/ha). The eucalyptus based sytem produced the significant higher amount of N, K, Ca, Mg and S through leaf litter as compared to kinnow alone. Nitrogen and K contribution through leaf litter fall under kinnow + eucalyptus based system was 94.1, and 19.1 kg/ha/yr respectively which is 148.2 and 334% higher than kinnow based system. The amount of micronutrients returned through annual litter fall in different tree based system differed significantly. The annual input of Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu under kinnow + eucalyptus system were 105.2, 829.3, 117.3 and 837.5 g/ha/year, respectively which is 227.7%, 333.9%, 334.3% and 729.8% higher than kinnow alone system. There were 26.1% and 40.6% reduction in grain and straw yield of wheat respectively under kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat system over kinnow + wheat system. And also there was 63.7% and 58.8% reduction of wheat yield under kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat system and kinnow + wheat system respectively over control. Nutrient content in grain as well as straw was found not to be significantly affected but nutrient uptake by wheat was observed to have significant effect of agri-silvi-horticulture and agri-horticulture system. All chemical properties except pH and calcium carbonate are significantly and positively correlated with each other. Hence it may be concluded that kinnow + eucalyptus + wheat and kinnow + wheat system enhanced soil organic matter and improved soil properties whereas the yield of wheat was reduced.