Growth and Production Behaviour of Medicinal and Aromatic Herbs Grown under Hedgerows of Leucaena and Morus

Abstract

The present investigation aimed at exploring the possibilities of growing medicinal and aromatic herbs as intercrops with the hedgerows of Leucaena leucocephla and Morus alba under alley cropping system for diversification. The impact of tree hedgerows on the growth, production and physiological behaviour of two medicinal herbs namely, Tagetes minuta and Ocimum basilicum has been studied. The findings indicated that different plant spacings within hedgerows Significantly affected growth and production of Tagetes minuta and Ocimum basilicum, mainly under hedgerows with closer plant spacings and distance from the hedgerow line. The growth parameters namely plant height, leaf number and leaf area index were found to be more in sole crops (T4) relative to that with hedgerows at different plant spacings. In case of Morus based treatments, the adverse effect was greater at closer spacing of 1.5 m and at a distance of 60 cm from the hedgerows relative to wider spacings and greater distances from the hedgerow line; whereas in Leucaena, greater adverse effect was obtained at closer spacing of 0.5 m and closer distance of 60 cm from the hedgerow line. The values for growth and production related attributes of both the herbs were greater at distances between 120 and 180 cm from the hedgerows and at wider plant spacings among the hedges. Photosynthesis, transpiration and water use efficiency were greater in both the medicinal and aromatic herbs grown under Morus with wider plant spacing of 2.5 m relative to closer spacings of 1.5 and 2.0 m. Similarly, the plants grown under Leucaena with wider spacing of 1.5 m showed greater rates of photosynthesis and transpiration relative to the closer spacings of 0.50 and 0.75 m. The rates were lower in plants growing immediately beneath hedgerows, especially up to a distance of 60 cm from the hedgerows.