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Tree row spacing affected agronomic and economic performance of Eucalyptus-based agroforestry in Andhra Pradesh, Southern India

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Title Tree row spacing affected agronomic and economic performance of Eucalyptus-based agroforestry in Andhra Pradesh, Southern India
Tree row spacing affected agronomic and economic performance of Eucalyptus-based agroforestry in Andhra Pradesh, Southern India
 
Creator ICAR_CRIDA
 
Subject Biomass, Tree–crop interactions, Tree spacing, Cowpea, Fodder grasses
 
Description Not Available
The 3 9 2 m spacing currently used for
eucalyptus plantations in the state of Andhra Pradesh,
southern India does not permit intercropping from the
second year. This discourages small landholders who
need regular income from taking up eucalyptus
plantations and benefiting from the expanding market
for pulpwood. Therefore, on-farm experiments were
conducted near Bhadrachalam, Khammam district
(Andhra Pradesh) for over 4 years from August 2001
to November 2005 to examine whether wide-row
planting and grouping of certain tree rows will
facilitate extended intercropping without sacrificing
wood yield. Eucalyptus planted in five-spatial arrangements in agroforestry [3 9 2 m (farmers’ practice),
6 9 1 m, 7 9 1.5 m paired rows (7 9 1.5 PR),
11 9 1 m paired rows (11 9 1 PR) and 10 9 1.5 m
triple rows (10 9 1.5 TR)] was compared with sole
tree stands at a constant density of 1,666 trees ha-1
.
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) was intercropped during
the post-rainy seasons from 2001 to 2004, and fodder
grasses (Panicum maximum and Brachiaria ruziziensis) were intercropped during both the seasons of 2005.
At 51 months after planting, different spatial arrangements did not significantly affect height and diameter
at breast height (dbh). Total dry biomass of eucalyptus
in different spatial arrangements ranged between 59.5
and 52.9 Mg ha-1
, the highest being with 6 9 1 m
and the lowest with 10 9 1.5 TR, but treatment
differences were not significant. The widely spaced
paired row (11 9 1 PR) and triple row (10 9 1.5 TR)
arrangements produced 62–73% of sole cowpea yield
in 2003, 59–66% of sole cowpea yield in 2004, and 79–
94% of sole fodder in 2005. In contrast, the 3 9 2 m
spacing allowed only 17–45% of sole crop yields in
these years. The better performance of intercrops in
widely spaced eucalyptus was likely because of
limited competition from trees for light and water.
Intercropping of eucalyptus in these wider rows gave
14% greater net returns compared with intercropping in eucalyptus spaced at 3 9 2 m, 19% greater returns
compared with that from sole tree woodlot and 263%
greater returns compared with that from sole crops.
Therefore, in regions where annual rainfall is around
1,000 mm and soils are fairly good, eucalyptus at a
density of 1,666 plants per ha can be planted in
uniformly spaced wide-rows (6 m) or paired rows at an
inter-pair spacing of 7–11 m for improving intercrop
performance without sacrificing wood production.
Not Available
 
Date 2020-02-25T09:43:42Z
2020-02-25T09:43:42Z
2009
 
Type Technical Report
 
Identifier Not Available
Not Available
http://krishi.icar.gov.in/jspui/handle/123456789/33006
 
Language English
 
Relation Not Available;
 
Publisher J. V. N. S. Prasad, K. V. Rao, C. A. R. Rao, B. Venkateswarlu,