Productivity and soil fertility dynamics under fodder trees and leguminous hedge row alley cropping

Abstract

Experiments were conducted on tree and hedge row alleys cropping system with tree/shrub and fodder crops combination with the objective to develop intensive fodder production systems for ensuring year round availability of green fodder. Two tree species (Trema orientalis, Ficus hookeri) were grown in alleys with seasonal crops of Maize, napier, broom grass, and job's tear (Coix), cowpea and soybean and that of hedge row of Crotalaria, Flemengia and Tephrosa alleys with seasonal crops of maize, rice straw, cowpea respectively, during 2005-2007. The maize crop produced 325 q/ha of green fodder biomass and that of tree foliage (Trema orientalis) 401 q/ha/year. Maize, coix recorded statistically at par yield while the fodder biomass from other fodder crops (Napier, broom grass, cow pea and soybean) were found statistically significant different. Napier- F hookeri alleys recorded maximum fodder yield (761.7 q/ha).Among hedge row species, C. macrophylla recorded maximum green fodder biomass over F macrophylla and T candida. Highest maize fodder biomass was in hedge row of T candida which was followed by Fmacrophylla and C. macrophyfla hedgerow system. Similarly in hedgerow system Crotalaria, Tephrosa and Flemengia recorded significantly higher N, P,K content.