Assessing productivity and profitability of a rejuvenated ber based agri.-horti system under arid conditions

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during 2011-2015 at ICAR- Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan to assess the productivity and profitability of a rejuvenated ber based Agri.-Horti. system under arid rainfed conditions. From second year onwards inter cropping with green gram, pearl millet and senna was carried out in the alleys (6 m and 12 m) of ber varieties viz. Gola, Seb and Umran assessed in split plot design. The rejuvenated trees attained profitable yield level within three years of rejuvenation. Gola recorded highest productivity (57.3qha-1) followed by Seb and Umran. Amongst intercrops the productivity of green gram as ber equivalent yield was 1.7 times higher over pearl millet and 4.2 times over senna. Wider spacing increased the productivity of intercrops by 24%. But, the total system productivity in wider ber alleys was 50.47% less during first year followed by 30.3, 34.6 and 40% during subsequent years, respectively, compared to 6m x 6m spacing. The profitability was also higher under 6mx6m spacing. The ber + greengram system gave highest net returns over other (84.79 x103 ₹ ha-1 ). This agri- horti system also maintained the initial soil fertility status even after four crop cycles. Hence the appropriate strategy should be to introduce intercrops preferably green gram at recommended spacing (6m x 6m) of ber variety Gola for highest system productivity and profitability.