Growth and yield of spice crops under bamboo-based agroforestry system in plains of Chota Nagpur plateau of Jharkhand

Abstract

Intercropping of short duration crops under bamboo cultivation provide additional income. Bamboo-based agroforestry systems are socially and economically viable and sustainable. In present study, Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), Coriandrum sativum (coriander) and Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) were grown as intercrops under bamboo based agroforestry system. A study was carried out during rabi season of 2018-19, which employed seven treatments viz., Bambusa nutans + Foeniculum vulgare (T₁), B. nutans + Coriandrum sativum (T₂), B. nutans + Trigonella foenum-graecum (T₃), sole B. nutans (T₄), sole C. sativum (T₅), sole F. vulgare (T₆) and sole T. foenum-graecum (T₇), and each treatment was replicated three times in randomized block design. More equivalent yield was recorded from sole crops than under bamboo-crop combinations. Yield was maximum in sole fennel (18.08 q ha^-1), followed by sole fenugreek (15.49 q ha^-1), sole coriander (14.58 q ha^-1), bamboo + fennel (12.38 q ha^-1), bamboo + coriander (13.17 q ha^-1) and bamboo + fenugreek (10.95 q ha^-1). The maximum net return was found under bamboo + fennel combination (Rs. 1,11,563 ha^-1), followed by bamboo + coriander (Rs. 1,02,938 ha^-1), bamboo + fenugreek (Rs. 89,235 ha^-1), sole fennel (Rs. 78,296 ha^-1), sole coriander (Rs. 59,136 ha^-1), sole fenugreek (Rs. 51,400 ha^-1) and sole bamboo (Rs. 26,459 ha^-1). Higher yield and net return were recorded from sole crops in comparison with bamboo-crop combinations.