Productivity of Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajana (L.) Millsp] under Teak (Tectona grandis) Based Agroforestry Systems in Semiarid Tropics

Abstract

The productivity of teak based agroforestry system was studied during 2016-17 under irrigated ecosystem in Yadagir district of North-eastern dry zone (None II) of Karnataka. Significantly lower pigeonpea grain yield (1766 kg ha-1) and biomass yield (8207 kg ha-1) in association with teak were recorded at 5 m away from the tree line compared to the crop at a distance 10 m (2345 and 10089 kg ha-1, respectively) and 15 m (8207, 10526 kg ha-1, respectively) away from the tree line whereas harvest index remained unaffected. Non-significant differences were observed in grain yield and harvest index, albeit numerically higher grain yield were recorded in the control (2316 kg ha-1) without teak nearby compared to the agroforestry systems and within agroforestry systems boundary planting recorded numerically higher grain yield (2228 kg ha-1) than with bund planting (2081 kg ha-1). Significantly higher girth, volume and biomass of teak were recorded in bund planting (76.37 cm, 0.390 m3 and 215 kg, respectively) followed by silvi-horti system (72.65 cm, 0.381m3 and 209 kg, respectively) and boundary planting (69.10 cm, 0.342 m3 and 215 kg, respectively), whereas significantly lower girth, volume and biomass were recorded in block plantation (51.45 cm, 0.182 m3 and 100 kg, respectively). The study also revealed significantly lower crown spread in block plantation (2.85 m) followed by boundary planting (4.63 m).