Critical issue in Poplar-based agroforestry system

Abstract

Poplar is life line not only of the adopting farmers but also for the plywood industry in Northern India. Poplars have become significant resources in plantation forestry in India, which are ideally suited for supporting rural livelihoods, enhancing food security, alleviating poverty and contributing to sustainable development. They provide raw material supplies for industrial processing and valuable non-wood products. Poplar plantations intercropped with agricultural crops have better growth than those without intercrops and the growth of trees is variable under different intercrops. The preferred agroforestry production was intercropping poplars with agricultural crops such as wheat, maize, mustard, turmeric and aromatic crops in order to provide scope for essential food production. Poplar based agroforestry system has privileged productivity, if they are associated with agricultural crops. Keeping in view of present status of the poplar based agroforestry system, this paper emphasized on those critical issues emerged during the past which may endanger the productivity and economics of the system.