Variation in Carbon Storage, Soil Nutrient Availability and Yield of Turmeric under Different Spacings of Bombax ceiba L. Plantations
Loading...
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
RPCAU, Pusa
Abstract
The present study was conducted at the agroforestry research area of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Samastipur). In this investigation, the influence of different densities of 7-year-old Semal (Bombax ceiba L.) plantations on the yield performance of turmeric, tree growth, volume, biomass, biomass carbon stock, long-lived C stock, CO2 equivalent, soil physico-chemical properties, macro and micronutrient was studied during 2022-2023. The experiment was in randomized block design comprising five treatments (5 × 2 m, 5 × 3 m, 5 × 4 m, 5 × 5 m, and treeless control) replicated 4 times. The soil texture of the research area is sandy loam with a pH of 8.5, low level of organic carbon (0.36%), available N (169 kg ha-1), P2O5 (24.2 kg ha-1) and K2O (132.3 kg ha-1) with the higher percentage of free calcium carbonate (36%). In the 1st week of June 2022, turmeric (Curcuma longa Valeton) var. Rajendra Sonia was grown as intercrop in the interspaces of the plantations and in treeless open plots. The crop yield, tree growth, biomass yield, and carbon sequestration potential were assessed by one-way analysis, whereas soil physicochemical properties and soil carbon stock were tested by two-way analysis of variance, considering tree spacings as the first factor and soil depth as the second factor. The soil properties were measured after harvesting turmeric. The yield of intercrops significantly decreased under the agroforestry systems and the decrement varied from 13.9 (5 × 2 m) to 28.2% (5 × 5 m) when compared to the sole cropping. The relative light intensity available to the crop varied from 71.6 (5 × 2 m) to 80.7% (5 × 5 m) under the plantations. There was a noticeable improvement in soil properties (pH, EC, and BD), soil organic carbon (SOC), available macronutrients (N, P2O5, and K2O) and micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn). Availability of plant nutrients was higher in the upper (0 - 15 cm) soil layer than the lower soil layer (15 - 30 cm). There was a 24.1 (5 × 2 m) to 59.1% (5 × 5 m) increase in SOC stock after the harvest of turmeric crop up to 0-30 cm soil depth. The widest spacings (5 × 4 and 5 × 5 m) had significantly higher height, diameter at breast height and volume of the individual tree. The total tree biomass (49.2 Mg ha-1) was maximum in the higher density (5 × 2 m) plantations followed by 5 × 4 m (38.8 Mg ha-1). Total tree biomass carbon storage varied from 19.3 to 23.4 Mg ha-1 in 5 × 5 and 5 × 2 m spacings, respectively. The maximum carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere by the tree was 80.9 to to 85.8 Mg ha-1 in both 5 × 2 and 5 × 4 m spacing. The study concluded that the 7-year-old B. ceiba plantation with 5 × 4 m (500 trees ha-1) and 5 × 2 m (1000 trees ha-1) spacing accumulated maximum biomass and carbon storage and sequestered more carbon per unit area.