“Tree-crop interaction studies under Harar (Terminalia chebula Retz.) based agroforestry system”
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Date
2021-11-27
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College of Horticulture and Forestry Neri, Hamirpur (H.P.)
Abstract
The current investigations on “Tree crop interaction studies under Harar (Terminalia
chebula Retz.) based agroforestry system” was carried out in harar orchard at Khaggal (Neri-II)
Experimental Farm of the Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Horticulture and
Forestry, Neri - Hamirpur during the year 2020-21 under subtropical conditions of Himachal Pradesh.
The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (02 Factorial) to determine the effect of
harar trees on growth and yield parameters of soyabean crop along with the soil properties in four
directions (East, West, North, and South) and three distances i.e., 1, 2 and 3 m from harar trees (total
12 treatments). The treatments were replicated thrice. The quality parameters of soyabean were
estimated at three distances from harar tree (D1, D2 and D3) and open crop (total four treatments)
replicated five times under Randomized Block Design. The agroforestry system (harar + soyabean)
was compared with the sole crop system (soyabean) employing student’s t-test. The soil was also
analyzed for the presence of allelochemicals before sowing and after harvesting soyabean under the
agroforestry and in open system. Results showed the maximum values for the growth and yield
parameters of soyabean crop at 3 m distance from harar trees. Among directions, the best results were
obtained in the north direction. The biochemical analysis revealed that the photosynthetic pigments
viz., total chlorophyll and carotenoids increased with the increase distance of soyabean crop from harar
trees. The photosynthetic pigments in leaves exhibited the maximum values in the sole crop and the
minimum in the crop grown under the shade of harar trees. The contents of total carbohydrates and
total soluble protein were significantly higher in the seeds of soyabean crop grown under the
agroforestry system over the sole cropping system. Whereas, the contents of total sugars and total free
amino acids were significantly higher in the sole soyabean crop as compared to the crop raised under
the agroforestry system. The contents of oil, crude fibre and total sugars of soyabean increased with an
increase in the distance of crop from harar trees. However, no significant difference was observed for
oil and crude fibre contents in soyabean under the agroforestry system and sole crop.
Positive changes in the soil properties observed under the agroforestry system indicated that the
system can sustain for long. The soil analysis showed the presence of allelochemicals of harar
(Octadecanoic acid, 1,2- Benzenedicarboxylic acid and Phthalic acid) in the soil under the agroforestry
system. The positive effect on plant growth and yield of soyabean under agroforestry system may be
due to the environmental factors like moisture, nutrients, microclimate etc. and/or allelochemicals
which needs further testing. From economic perspective, higher (268380 Rs. ha-1) gross returns and
benefit:cost ratio (2.79) were obtained for harar + soyabean agroforestry system as compared to sole
soyabean cropping. Overall, harar + soyabean agroforestry system proved better with respect to
ecological and economical perspective over sole soyabean cropping and recommended for the farmers
of the area.