SNEH YADAV, R. S. DHILLON, CHHAVI SIROHI, K. S. AHLAWAT AND ASHISH KUMAR
Department of Forestry, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125 004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : snehyadav1091995@gmail.com)
(Received : 05 September 2021; Accepted : 29 September 2021)
SUMMARY
A field experiment was conducted during 2018 to study the growth and production of fodder cowpea (var. RC-19) under different spacing’s, i.e. 3 × 3 m, 4 × 3 m, 5 × 3 m, 6 × 3 m, 7 × 3 m and 8 × 3 m of two and half year old poplar-based agroforestry system. The maximum plant population (20.17/m2) was recorded in 8×3 m spacing followed by 7×3 m, 6×3 m, 5×3 m, 4×3 m and least under 3×3 m at 15 DAS. A similar trend of plant height and leaf area index of cowpea was observed after 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS as it follows the increasing trend with increase in spacing. Among the different spacing’s of poplar, the fodder yield of cowpea was recorded maximum (8.95 t/ha) under 8×3 m followed by 7×3 m (7.24 t/ha), 6×3 m (6.06 t/ha), 5×3 m (4.45 t/ha), 4×3 m (2.99 t/ha) and minimum (2.20 t/ha) under 3×3 m spacing. All the growth and yield attributes of cowpea were recorded lesser under different spacing’s of poplar as compared to the control (devoid of trees). The reduction in fodder yield under different spacing’s 3 × 3 m, 4 × 3 m, 5 × 3 m, 6 × 3 m, 7 × 3 m, 8 × 3 m of poplar was 81.71, 75.14, 63.00, 49.62, 39.81 and 25.60 per cent, respectively over control (sole cowpea), demonstrating that the cowpea is susceptible to shade. While maximum (2.03) benefit to cost ratio was observed under poplar + cowpea combination in closer plant geometry of 3×3 m due to more number of trees.
Key words:Agroforestry, cowpea, poplar, spacing, fodder yield