DEVELOPMENT OF TREE BORNE OILSEEDS (TBOs) PLANTATION AND SCOPE OF INTERCROPPING ON DEGRADED LANDS

Plantation of two TBOs, namely, neem (Azadirachta indica) and karanj (Pongamia pinnata) were established in 2002 at Research farm of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Jhargram under red and laterite zone of West Bengal. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design with 6 treatments in 6 replications where treatments include sole plantation of two TBOs and in combination with pigeon pea as intercrop along with sole pigeon pea. Barren land was an additional treatment as control to compare the effect of agroforestry system on soil quality. All these 6 treatments were considered together to reveal the pair-wise mean differences between two TBOs, two intercropping systems, sole plantation versus intercrop and all 5 situations with control. Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) was grown as in intercrop in TBOs plantation during kharif season of 2008 and 2009 to increase productive capability of land and profitability of the agroforestry system. Experimental results revealed that all the growth parameters (tree height, bole height and dbh) and volume yield of both the TBOs were higher when grown under agroforestry system than sole plantation. Except number of seeds/pod, all biometrical parameters, yield attributes and yield of pigeon pea were slightly higher in sole cropping than agroforestry system. But most of the growth and yield attributing characters as well as yield of pigeon pea were higher under karanj plantation as compared to neem plantation. Moreover, karanj was also significantly better than neem as well as control situation in improving soil physico-chemical properties resulting into higher intercrop yield.