BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF SILVIPASTURE SYSTEMS ON GRAVELLY LANDS OF DOON VALLEY

Abstract

THE BULLETIN CONTAINS INFORMATION ON ALL ASPECTS OF TREE AND GRASS PERFORMANCE INCLUDING EFFECTS ON SOIL FERTILITY OVER A PERIOD OF 14 YEARS FROM 1980 TO 1993 IN BOULDERY LANDS OF DOON VALLEY. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS , IT HAS BEEN CONCLUDED THAT THE GRAVELLY AND BOULDERY RIVERBED LANDS OF DOON VALLEY CAN BE EFFECTIVELY UTILIZED BY PUTTING THEM UNDER PERENNIAL VEGETATION FOR IMPROVING BIOMASS PRODUCTION AS WELL AS SOIL FERTILITY. THE COMBINATION OF BAUHINIA PURPUREA OR ALBIZIA LEBBEK WITH EULALIOPSIS BINATA WAS THE MOST PROMISING FOR ESTABLISHING A SILVIPASTURE SYSTEM IN THESE LANDS. ALTHOUGH THE BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF GREWIA OPTIVA WAS LOWER IN THE LATER YEARS, IT COULD ALSO BE PREFERRED BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH QUALITY FODDER AND FIBRE FOR DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION. LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA WAS NOT FOUND SUITABLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. INTERCROPPING WITH CHRYSOPOGON FULVUS COULD BE DONE SUCCESSFULLY FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 10 YEARS. AFTER WHICH IT GOT DEGENERATED AND RESULTED IN VERY LOW BIOMASS PRODUCTION. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PERFORMANCE OF EULALIOPSIS BINATA WAS STABLE OVER A PROLONGED PERIOD AND THIS SPECIES WAS GROWING WELL IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE TREES EVEN AFTER 18 YEARS OF THE PLANTATAION.