SUMMARY A field experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of different rain water harvesting and moisture conservation practices on soil moisture storage, growth and biomass production of Tecomella undulata, an important furniture and timber wood species of the Indian arid zone. The water harvesting technique of ‘inter row slopes’ (20 per cent) caused a more than five fold increase in the total biomass of a 26 month old plantation of T. undulata, four-fold increase in rootmass and 35% rise in tree height. “Saucers of 1.5 m diameter covered with mulching” was the second best treatment. Both significantly improved soil moisture storage, water use efficiency of trees, Harvest Index and biomass allocation to stem component. The ‘Inter row slopes’ was the most cost effective and growth effective treatment.