Impact of Albizia procera benth. based agroforestry system on soil quality in Bundelkhand region of Central India

Abstract

Agroforestry plays an important role in influencing soil quality indicators but their quantitative assessment in A. procera based agroforestry system were not existing in Bundelkhand region of Central India. Hence, study was undertaken at Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi to develop an additive unified Soil Quality Index (SQI) based on functional scores of soil quality indicators comprising of soil physical, chemical and biological properties, and determine how indicators respond to different management practices. Study was conducted in a well established 10 years old Albizia procera Benth. based agroforestry experiment consisting of five treatments viz. control (Pure crop), Pure tree (without inter cropping), zero pruning+ inter cropping, 50% pruning+ inter cropping and 70% pruning + inter cropping. Findings revealed that maximum value of SQI was observed for practice of zero pruning (0.54) closely followed by 50% pruning (0.53) and 70% pruning (0.52). Pure crop had the minimum SQI (0.37). Agroforestry plots viz. pure tree, zero pruning, 50% pruning and 70% pruning had improved soil health to the tune of 19.7, 31.3, 31.0 and 30.0 per cent, respectively, over pure crop. It has been observed that biological activities and water holding capacity of soil appears to be the most limiting indicators.