Effect of Nitrogen on Productivity of Aonla Based Hortipastoral System

Abstract

In semi arid tract of India particularly under rainfed conditions, hortipastoral (Fruit+Grass) land use system bring stability in total biomass through fruit, fodder and fuelwood production. An experiment was conducted at Central Research Farm of Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi to study the effect of nitrogen on Aonla based hortipastoral system. Grafted aonla cV.NA-7 was planted with Dichanthium annulatum grass as pasture were taken for study. The highest doses of nitrogen (60 kg ha^-1 to grass plot) produced significantly higher fruit production in both years (3.12 t ha^-1 in 2000-01 and 8.52 t ha^-1 in 2001- 02) over control. The fruit weight, volume and size were inversely related to number of fruits plant^-1. The chemical composition (glucose and ascorbic acid) also varied with different treatments of nitrogen. Significantly higher forage yield (6.95 t ha^-1 DM) was produced by applying 40 kg N ha^-1 in first year, however in the second year 60 kg N ha^-1 produced significantly higher production of dry matter (6.54 t ha^-1) in comparison to control. It was confirmed that the hortipastoral system produced more forage yield than pure pasture. Economic analysis of the system in terms of benefit: cost ratio reveals that the treatment T4F3 (Aonla + Dicanthium + 60kg N ha^-1) gave a highest benefit: cost ratio (2.35) followed by T3F2 (Aonla + Dicanthium + 40kg N ha^-1) (2.31) and T2F1(Aonla + Dicanthium + 20kg N ha^-1) (2.04.)