K. S. AHLAWAT, K. K. BHARDWAJ, HANSRAJ, ANITA KUMARI, DALIP KUMAR BISHNOI, CHHAVI SIROHI, ANIL KUMAR AND SATPAL
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
Department of Vegetable Science, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Department of Agricultural Economics, Hisar-125 004, India
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Damla, Yamunanagar
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding (Forage Section), Hisar-125 004, India
*(e-mail: ahlawat19799@gmail.com)
(Received: 7 March 2026; Accepted: 31 March 2026)
SUMMARY
A field experiment was conducted to assess the performance of Rabi crops under a willow (Salix alba) based agroforestry system. Clonal willow seedlings were planted in February 2018 at a spacing of 3×3 m. During Rabi 2020-21, wheat (HD-2967) and barley (BH-393) were grown as intercrops. Tree growth parameters recorded after crop harvest showed substantial increases, with height rising from 5.4 to 6.7 m, DBH from 6.9 to 9.9 cm and basal diameter from 10.1 to 12.9 cm. Wheat grown under willow exhibited significantly reduced plant height and physiological parameters (photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance) compared to open conditions. Consequently, wheat grain yield of wheat declined from 4.97 to 2.40 t ha-1 (51.71% reduction), while barley yield decreased from 4.18 to 2.41 t ha-1 under the willow based agroforestry system (AFS). Yield attributes such as number of effective tillers, spike length, grains per spike and test weight were significantly lower in AFS compared to the sole cropping system. The benefit-cost ratio was also reduced under willow based AFS compared with the open condition. The study indicates that reduced light availability under willow significantly constrains the growth, physiology and productivity of intercrops.
Key words: Salix alba, light interception, physiological parameters, wheat yield and barley yield