Influence of canopy pruning on tree growth and grain yield of intercrops in

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 2005–07 at Jhansi to elucidate the influence of shoot pruning on growth of [Albizia procera (Roxb.) Benth] and grain yield of intercrop. The experiment was conducted in split plot design with 2 crop sequences, namely blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) – mustard (Brassica juncia L. Czern. & Coss.) and greengram (Vigna radiata Roxb.) – wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Friori & Paol.) with 3 pruning regimes (70% canopy pruning, 50% canopy pruning and control unpruned). The results reveal that the growth of A. procera (dbh, height and canopy diameter) was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher in control (unpruned trees) compared with the 50% canopy pruning and 70% canopy pruning. Grain yield of greengram–wheat crop sequence was 41.21 and 83.45% higher than the blackgram–mustard crop sequence. Among the pruning regimes, 70% canopy pruning gave 129.94% higher grain yield than the control (unpruned trees).