Page 29 - Agroforestry system - book inner (final corrected) - 9.-3-21_Neat

National level e-symposium on “Agroforestry system for augmenting livestock
productivity and empowering resource poor rural farmers”

Successful agroforestry technologies in different regions

Alder - large cardamom based agrisilviculture
The first inhabitants of Sikkim-the Lepchas collected capsules of large cardamom from natural forests.
New plantations and large patches of large cardamom based agroforestry systems have been converted in to
monoculture of N fixing actinorhizal Alnus nepalensis as shade tree. Thus it is conducive to conservation of
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tree biodiversity in north eastern region and agroforestry is one of the favored land management systems for
sustainable development in the mountain areas. Large cardamom agroforestry is almost a closed system that
does not depend on the external input. The system requires about 800 to 1000 kg/ha of raw fuel-wood for
curing the capsules that can be managed from the shade trees within the agroforestry. The annual production
of woody biomass in cardamom based agroforestry ranges between 4.5 to 5.5 t/ha which is five times more of
fuel wood requirement for curing. The share of gross income from large cardamom (Rs. 27 crores) was next
to cereals over Sikkim state income from all crops. The benefit –cost ratio is more than 6 from fourth year
onwards.

Poplar based agroforestry system
Diversification from rice wheat rotation is the need of the hour in Punjab and the state government
has decided to bring about 2.0 lakh ha under agroforestry as per the state’s crop diversification plan. Poplar
(Populus deltoides) based agroforestry system has been adopted by the farmers especially along the river
bed sites. The crops are cultivated in between the rows of trees. Trees are grown at a spacing of 8 m x 2.5
m or 5 m x 4 m accommodating about 500 trees per hectare. They get an annual income from the sale of
intercrops while at the same time maintain trees for 6-7 years. All the rabi (winter) and kharif (summer)
crops can be grown successfully under poplar plantations during the first two years except paddy. Different
rabi crops like wheat, mustard, potato, barley, berseem can be successfully grown with poplar throughout its
rotation age. However, in kharif season shade of trees reduces the crop yield. Therefore, crops in kharif should
only be grown during first 3-4 years of tree age. The yield of various kharif and rabi crops and net returns
during different years of poplar age indicate that poplar intercropped with turmeric has the highest benefits
followed by poplar intercropped with pearlmillet-wheat rotation. Higher productivity of poplar plantations
can be achieved by adopting suitable cultural and management practices such as intercultivation, irrigation
application in channels during wheat growing season, following proper year wise fertilizer schedule for
poplar, correcting deficiency of zinc and control of insects and diseases throughout its growth years.

Eucalyptus based agrisilviculture system

The inter-cropping with eucalyptus in boundary as well as block planting is found to be beneficial
as it has increased the possibility of timely sowing more crops during rabi season thereby increasing and
stabilizing income of the farmer. It diversifies and stabilizes the production system and also provides industrial
raw materials. Clonal eucalyptus under boundary and block plantation with rotation cycle of five years
was introduced. Intercrops like wheat, rice, soybean, rapeseed, mustard, veg pea are grown. Under block
plantation at the spacing of 5m x 2m crops can be grown during first three years, however under boundary
plantation at 2.0 m spacing any crop can be grown upto the rotation age of eucalyptus. Eucalyptus based agri-

10 Institute of Animal Nutrition, Centre for Animal Production Studies, TANUVAS
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development