Performance of vegetable crops under Ailanthus excelsa based agroforestry system

Abstract

The performances of five vegetable crops were tested under Ailanthus field in north east zone of Tamil Nadu to develop a suitable Ailanthus excelsa based agroforestry system. Tomato, brinjal, bhendi, cluster beans and vegetable cowpea were intercropped with 18 months old Ailanthus excelsa to study the growth and productivity of these intercrops and their effect on the growth of the tree. Results revealed that the growth and yield of intercrops reduced under intercropping when compared to sole cropping. Among the test crops, tomato was most affected and cluster beans was least affected. However the benefit cost ratio from the crop was highest with brinjal (2.82) and the lowest with vegetable cowpea (2.32) per hectare. Growth of Ailanthus was influenced with cluster beans and vegetable cowpea due to intercropping. The tree height and DBH of Ailanthus was observed highest when intercropped with cluster beans (17.41% and 16.24 % increase over tree alone). This was followed by vegetable cowpea (15.48 % and 14.70% increase over tree alone) and the lowest was observed with tomato (3.22 % and 3.09 % increase over tree alone).