Acacia nilotica-based silvipastoral systems for resource conservation and improved productivity from degraded lands of the Lower Himalayas

摘要

High population density and unscientific land use practices have induced severe land degradation in the fragile Lower Himalayan ecosystem of India. Land cover management has been an effective strategy in managing land degradation through the reduction of water, soil and nutrient losses and improvement in soil fertility and quality. Acacia nilotica (Acacia)-based silvipastoral systems with five intercrops, viz., Eulaliopsis binata (bhabbar), Saccharum munja (munj), Vetiveria zizanioides (vetiver), natural grasses and no grass, were evaluated in a long-term study in degraded bouldery lands in Haryana state of India. All grasses resulted in a reduction of soil, water and nutrient losses and improved microbial properties. However, their association adversely affected the growth of Acacia, and the decline varied with grass species. After 11 years of establishment, sole Acacia plantation had the maximum height (7.58 m), diameter at breast height (dbh) (21.32 cm) and crown spread (7.41 m). Munj produced the highest biomass under Acacia, but most adversely affected its growth, resulting in minimum survival (48 %), height (7.07 m), dbh (16.23 cm) and crown spread (6.57 m). Yield of all the grasses increased during the initial 5-6 years, but declined sharply thereafter, with the maximum decline in bhabbar. Detailed investigations established that the sharp decline in survival and growth of bhabbar was due to shade and not because of nutrient competition or allelopathy. Acacia + V. zizanioides proved the most effective silvipastoral system for resource conservation and biomass production. It also provided the highest NPV (Rs 1.88 lakhs ha(-1)), B:C (2.37) and IRR (24.70 %) as compared to Rs 6,998 ha(-1), 1.05 and 8.76 % under pure Acacia plantation, respectively.