Malik, M.S.Kumar, Abhay2022-11-122022-11-122022https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810189838STUDY ON EVALUATION OF GMELINA ARBOREA BASED AGRISILVICULTURAL SYSTEMThe two year field experiment titled “Study on Evaluation of Gmelina arborea based Agrisilvicultural System” was carried out at during kharif and rabi seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18 at experimental site near Faculty of Forestry in main campus of Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. The study aimed at exploring the possibilities of successful cultivation of Arhar (Cajanus cajan), Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), Greengram (Vigna radiata), Mustard (Brassica juncea) as intercrops under gamhar (Gmelina arborea) based agrisilvicultural system and in sole conditions. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with four different crops (arhar, cowpea, greengram and mustard) under gamhar based agrisilvicultural system and sole cropping systems, having total seven treatments T1= Gamhar+Arhar, T2= Gamhar+Cowpea-Mustard, T3= Gamhar+Greengram-Mustard, T4= Sole Gamhar, T5= Sole Arhar, T6= Sole Cowpea-Mustard and T7= Sole Greengram-Mustard, with three replications. Among tree growth parameters, increment in height, increment in collar diameter, number of branches, number of leaves, crown width, volume increment, and volume increment percentage all were recorded maximum in Gamhar+Greengram-Mustard which was respectively 10.75, 5.92, 4.49, 17.05, 13.28, 14.74, and 15.53 percent higher than Sole Gamhar in pooled data. While biomass expansion factor and root-shoot ratio was 4.12 and 2.70 percent higher in Gamhar+Arhar compared to Sole Gamhar in pooled data. Growth parameters of arhar, cowpea and green gram, viz. plant population, number of leaves per plant, plant height, root length, number of root nodules, dry biomass of root per plant, dry biomass of shoot per plant, crop growth rate, numbers of primary branches, numbers of secondary branches, days to 50% flowering and 80% pod maturity as well as yield attributes (number of pods per plant, number of pod clusters per plant, number of seeds per pod, pod length, pod diameter, weight of seeds per pod, test weight) and yield in terms of grain yield, straw yield, biological yield and harvest index (HI) were recorder higher under sole cropping system than gamhar based agrisilvicultural system during kharif season. Similarly, growth parameters of mustard viz. plant population, number of leaves per plant, plant height, root length, dry biomass of root per plant, dry biomass of shoot per plant, crop growth rate, numbers of primary branches, days to 50% flowering and 80% siliqua maturity, yield attributes viz. number of siliquas per plant, length of siliqua, number of seeds per siliqua, test weight and yield in terms of grain yield, straw yield, biological yield and harvest index (HI) were recorded higher in case of sole cropping than when intercropped with gamhar in rabi season of 2016-17, 2017-18 and in pooled data. Soil chemical properties after harvest of second year crop were higher under gamhar based agrisilvicultural system as compared to sole cropping system. Among all the treatments maximum increment in pH, EC, soil organic matter, available N, P and K was recorded in Gamhar+Arhar which was 1.46, 18.18, 19.63, 17.58, 18.37, 10.56 percent higher compared to initial in 0-15 cm soil depth and 1.74, 20.25, 24.44, 18.37, 18.95, 15.39 percent higher compared to initial in 15-30 cm soil depth, respectively after two years of experimentation. Gamhar tree biomass accumulation was higher in gamhar based agrisilvicultural system compared to sole gamhar. Among different components, stem contributed a maximum to total tree biomass followed by roots, leaves and branches. Average contribution of stem, roots, leaves and branches in total tree biomass was 50.00, 19.79, 19.18 and 10.73 percent in 2016-17, 59.94, 19.98, 12.74 and 7.27 percent in 2017-18, and 58.05, 20.00, 14.02 and 7.93 percent in pooled data, respectively. In case of crops, above ground, below ground and total biomass was significantly higher in sole cropping than gamhar based agrisilvicultural system. Total (Tree+Crop+Soil) carbon stock, carbon sequestration, carbon credit and economic price of sole cropping and gamhar based agrisilvicultural system were significantly affected by treatments. Carbon stock, carbon sequestration, carbon credit as well as economic price was maximum in Sole Greengram-Mustard which was 812.86, 816.02, 816.02 and 817.00 percent higher than Sole Gamhar in 2016-17, 735.35, 733.52, 733.52 and 733.75 percent in 2017-18, and 772.62, 767.42, 767.42 and 768.11 percent in pooled data, respectively. Gross and net return was higher in 2017-18 compared to 2016-17 due to higher initial cost in first year and higher crop yields in second year. Maximum gross return was found in Sole Greengram-Mustard followed by Gamhar+Greengram-Mustard in both the years while in case of net return maximum was recorded in Sole Arhar followed by Gamhar+Arhar. Maximum BCR and NPV were recorded in Sole Arhar followed by Gamhar+Arhar due to higher initial cost in agrisilvicultural system. Maximum IRR was found in Gamhar+Arhar followed by Gamhar+Greengram-Mustard and minimum was recorded in Sole Gamhar during 2016-18. Thus, the study indicated that on the basis of soil health and economics, Arhar and on the basis of yield and biomass, Greengram-Mustard performed better under sole farming as well as under gamhar based agrisilvicultural systems in Eastern Plateau and Hill region of Jharkhand, India.EnglishThesis