Yield and physical and microbial properties of soil under different fruit based diversified cropping models in arid region of Rajasthan

Abstract

The average plant height, plant girth and plant yield of aonla varied considerably in different cropping model systems. Highest yield of aonla recorded in aonla-khejri followed aonla-ber . Maximum value of OC, EC, pH, available nitrogen (kg/ha), available potassuim (kg/ha) were under Aonla-Khejri-Cluster bean-Ajowain cropping model followed by Aonla-Ber-Cluster bean-Fennel. The higher values in aonla involving ber and khejri could be due to synergistic crop interaction. Maximum water holding capacity at 0.33 and 6% bar was observed under Aonla+Ber (2.28 and 1.10%) followed by Aonla+Khejri (2.07 and 1.03%), Aonla+Bael (2.44 and 0.99%), Aonla+Karonda ( 1.76 and 0.61%) and Aonla+Morianga (1.84 and 0.56%). Similarly, maximum mean of available water was found in Aonla+Ber (7.43%) followed by Aonla+Khejri (6.6%), Aonla+Bael (4.14%), Aonla+Karonda (4.05%) and Aonla+Morianga during month of October, 2015. Higher bacterial, fungal and actinimycetes population (271 cfux106, 221 cfux103 and 116 cfux103) were observed in Aonla+Khejri followed by Aonla+Ber (205 cfux106, 164 cfux103 and 105 cfux103), Aonla+Bael , Aonla+Karonda and Aonla+Morianga. Physical and microbial properties of soil improved more under cropping model aonla-khejri (Model-III) and Aonla-Ber ( Model-I) as compared to other models.