Effect of tree spacing and organic manures on growth and yield of vegetable crops under Melia composita Willd. based agroforestry system
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Date
2015
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YSPU
Abstract
The present investigations entitled “Effect of tree spacing and organic manures on growth and yield of vegetable crops under Melia composita Willd. based agrisilviculture system” was carried out at Agroforestry Research Farm, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh for two consecutive years, 2012 and 2013. The experiment was carried out on the existing 6 years old Melia composita Willd. based agroforestry system. The experiment was laid out by using Randomized Block Design (factorial) with seven different doses of organic manures, T1 FYM (5 t ha-1), T2 FYM (7.5 t ha-1), T3 FYM (10.5 t ha-1), T4 vermicompost (2.5 t ha-1), T5 vermicompost (3.5 t ha-1), T6 vermicompost (5 t ha-1), T7 control (no manure) with three replications and two distinct tree spacings viz. 8 m x 5 m and 8 m
x 4 m under Melia and one open condition (without trees). The pooled result revealed that yield and growth performance of winter season vegetable crops was almost same for both spacings and open spacing. In summer season crop yield reduction upto 45% and 50% was observed in capsicum under tree spacings 8m x 5m and 8m x 4m respectively when compared to sole cropping. Similarly 70% and 74% fruit yield reduction was also observed in tomato under tree spacings 8m x 5m and 8m x 4m respectively as compared to sole cropping. The difference in crop yield during winter season was found to be negligible. Among pea crops, maximum pod yield was recorded in spacing 8m x 4m which was significantly at par with 8m
x 5m whereas, minimum pod yield was recorded in sole crop. However in cauliflower, maximum curd yield was recorded in sole crop and minimum curd yield was recorded in tree spacing 8m x 4m which was, however, statistically at par with spacing 8m x 5m. On the other hand optimum use of organic manure benefited the intercrop by improving the growth of plants even in the presence of trees as compared to sole plots during both Kharif and Rabi crop season. In most of the cases vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 showed highest crop yield followed by Vermicompost @ 3.5 t/ha and FYM @ 10 t ha-1. On contrary with that, control plots (no manures) recorded minimum crop yield, during both the cropping seasons. Use of organic manures increased the growth of vegetable crops, higher doses of organic manures were found more effective in
improving the growth of vegetable crops in presence and absence of Melia composita trees. The findings of present study suggested that cultivation of vegetable crops in combination with trees like Melia composita, especially during winter season may be recommended for better economic return from the agroforestry systems. However, during summer season decrease in growth and yield parameters of tomato and capsicum within the agroforestry system probably indicates intense competition for critical resources like water, nutrients, photo synthetically active radiation. Soil chemical properties like soil organic carbon, pH, EC and nutrients availability were improved under agroforestry system than sole crop system. The availability
of nutrients like N, P, K were high where, higher doses of organic manures were applied in agroforestry system as well as in sole crop system. It also suggested that the agroforestry system have higher potential of producing biomass (woody and nonwoody) than monocropping system.