Effect of poplar clones and wheat varieties on biomass accumulation, soil carbon and nutrient status under agroforestry system

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Agroforestry Research Centre of GBPUAT, Pantnagar,
Uttarakhand (29°N Latitude, 79° 30' E longitude and at an altitude of 243.8 m amsl) during rabi
seasons of 2013-14 and 2014-15 to study the effect of different varieties of wheat in association with
different poplar clones on biomass accumulation, soil properties and carbon stock. The experiment
was laid-out in a split-plot design with poplar tree clones, S7C8, G-48, W-39 and Kranti in mainplots
and wheat varieties, DBW-17, PBW-502, UP-2748 and HD-2967 in sub-plots. Poplar clones
were planted in February 2012 at a spacing of 7.0 m × 3.0 m. The experimental field soil was sandy
loam in texture with 1.175% organic carbon (C), 260, 20 and 190 kg ha–1 available nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), respectively. Wheat varieties HD-2967 and DBW-17 produced
at par but significantly higher total biomass than UP-2748 and PBW-502. Poplar clone S7C8 (4.25 t
ha–1) in 2013-14 Kranti (12.28 t ha–1) in 2014-15 recorded the highest total tree biomass. Soil properties
viz., soil organic carbon (SOC), bulk density and total SOC stock were the maximum with the clone
Kranti. Wheat varieties did not affect soil properties and SOC stock significantly. The available soil
N was significantly higher with clone Kranti, while soil available P and K were not effected by the
poplar clones.