SNEH YADAV*, R. S. DHILLON, K. S. AHLAWAT, S. KUMARI, CHARAN SINGH AND KAJAL MEHTA
Department of Forestry, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Department of Soil Science, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : snehyadav1091995@gmail.com)
(Received : 10 August 2022; Accepted : 29 September 2022)
SUMMARY
Performance of fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) was investigated with different spacings of poplar (Populus deltoides) to evaluate productivity and economics of the silvopastoral agroforestry system at forestry farm, CCS HAU, Hisar (Haryana) during 2018-19. The experiment was laid out by planting fodder sorghum (var. HC-171) in between two and half-yr-old poplar at six different spacings, i.e. 3×3 m, 4×3 m, 5×3 m, 6×3 m, 7×3 m and 8×3 m in randomized block design (RDB) with three replications. The intercrops sorghum was maintained at 20 cm × 10 cm spacing and supplied with recommended doses of fertilizers. The study revealed that the highest number of plants (29.21) per meter square andthe maximum plant height (177.81 cm) at 20 DAS was recorded in 8×3m spacing followed by 7×3m, 6×3m and least under 3×3m under different spacings of poplar. A similar trend of growth of sorghum was observed after 40 and 60 DAS as it follows the increasing trend with increase in spacing. The number of tillers per meter square and leaf area index was recorded higher (64.26 and 6.40) under control (sole sorghum) over different spacings of poplar. However, maximum number of tillers per m2 (59.03) and leaf area index (6.00) was found under 8×3m spacing than other spacings. Among the different spacings of poplar, the fodder yield of sorghumwas recorded maximum (38.45 t/ha) under 8×3 m followed by 7×3m (37.98 t/ha), 6×3m (35.85 t/ha), 5×3m (34.38 t/ha), 4×3m (27.78 t/ha) spacings and the minimum (24.27 t/ha) under 3×3 m. The reduction in fresh fodder yield of sorghum under 3×3m, 4×3m, 5×3m, 6×3m, 7×3m and 8×3m spacings of poplar was 44.03, 35.94, 20.72, 17.33, 12.42 and 11.34 per cent, respectively over control (devoid of trees). All the growth and yield attributes of sorghum were recorded lesser under different spacings of poplar as compared to the control (crop in open). While maximum (2.31) benefit to cost ratio was observed under Poplar+ sorghum combination in closer plant geometry of 3×3 m due to more number of trees.
Key words: Agroforestry, sorghum, poplar, spacing, fodder