Biomass production of trees and grasses in a silvopasture system on marginal lands of Doon Valley of north-west India 2. Performance of grass species

Abstract

In a long-term study (1980 to 1993), the survival, growth performance and biomass production of two grass species viz. Chrysopogon fulvus (Spreng.) Chiov. and Eulaliopsis binata (Retz.) C.E. Hubb. were assessed when intercropped with four tree species viz. Albizia lebbek (L.) Benth., Grewia optiva Drumm., Bauhinia purpurea L. and Leucaena leucocephala (Lamk.) de Wit. on the bouldery riverbed lands of Doon Valley of north-west India. The survival of grass clumps was higher under the canopy of B. purpurea (48.3% in 1993 of the initial planting density of 20,000 clumps ha−1 in 1980) and G. optiva (47.4%) than of L. leucocephala (31.1%) and A. lebbek (29.4%), and at 75% intensity of tree lopping (40.9%) than at 50% (37.1%). The effect of tree species on different growth parameters of grasses was not uniform, with G. optiva and B. purpurea causing comparatively more synergistic effect on clump height and clump diameter respectively. Although the performance of grasses was good under A. lebbek and L. leucocephala in the early years (1980--1987), these tree species resulted in the lowest grass dry weight in the later years up to 1993. The beneficial effect of higher lopping intensity of 75% was observed on the growth and biomass production of grasses over 50% lopping, presumably due to increased light penetration into the under-storey. The biomass production of grasses reached a maximum at four years of growth in 1983, after which, it decreased gradually to less than half in 1993. Eulaliopsis binata showed higher survival, growth and biomass production than C. fulvus throughout the period of study. The total biomass production was highest in association with B. purpurea followed by G. optiva, which appeared to be the most suitable tree species along with E. binata for sustainable silvopasture development on the marginal lands of Doon Valley of north-west India.