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ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF JATROPHA FORESTRY SYSTEM UNDER DIFFERENT POPULATION DENSITIES

KrishiKosh

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Title ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF JATROPHA FORESTRY SYSTEM UNDER DIFFERENT POPULATION DENSITIES
Ph.D.
 
Creator AHMAD MAHMOUD
 
Contributor Singh, S. D.
 
Subject planting, land resources, inorganic compounds, nutrients, biomass, carbon, biological development, crops, developmental stages, seasons
 
Description The present study was conducted to evaluate the growth, physiology, CO2 sequestration,
allelopathic potentials of jatropha plantation and their effects on soil physico-chemical
and biological properties at high (HD), medium (MD) and low (LD) plant population
densities. A nearby uncultivated area was taken as the reference site (control). Jatropha
cultivation irrespective of plant population density improved soil organic carbon and
availability of NPK on surface soil. Jatropha plants grow slowly during leafless period
in winter season and faster during the period from April to November corresponding to
leafy period and the growth in terms of plant height and stem girths was recorded to be
higher in plants grown under low population density. In spite of lesser leaf chlorophyll
content in low density plants, net photosynthesis was higher with better nutrient uptake.
Nutrients translocated from senescing leaves to the stem during leafless period also
enriched the soil surface with CO2 and nutrients through leaf litter and fruits shedding
and their decomposition. Addition of organic matter, retention of soil moisture and
moderate soil temperature led to increase in soil microbial activities as supported by
increased CO2 flux and litter decomposition rate, MBC, MBN, urease and
dehydrogenase activities. Allelopathic potentials of jatropha on wheat growth were
limited to ex-situ bioassay. Biomass and grain yield increased in wheat when soil was
amended with different parts of jatropha under pot experiment, and wheat crops
flourished when integrated with jatropha in in-situ approach with pruned jatropha plants.
However in in-situ approach wheat grain yield and biomass declined under the standing
jatropha cultivation with lowest reduction in low plant population density plots mainly
due to branches and twigs shading effects on wheat crop. Study concludes that jatropha
mined nutrients from lower strata of soil and enriched the soil surface which could be
useful for growing intercrops. Irrespective of plant densities, jatropha could be a
potential candidate to grow as a component of agroforestry system under rainfed
condition in North West parts of India and a plant population density of 1666 per
hectare would serve the purpose of both agroforestry and carbon sequestration apart
from other ecological services.
 
Date 2016-03-10T20:13:29Z
2016-03-10T20:13:29Z
2013
 
Type Thesis
 
Identifier http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/65065
 
Language en_US
 
Format application/pdf
 
Publisher IARI, CENTER FOR ENVINONMENT SCIENCE AND CLIMATE RESILIENT AGRICULTURE, NEW DELHI