PERFORMANCE OF WHEAT CULTIVARS UNDER DIFFERENT SPACING OF POPLAR (POPULUS DELTOIDES BARTR. EX MARSH.) BASED AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM IN SEMI-ARID ECOSYSTEM OF NORTHERN INDIA

摘要

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of three wheat varieties under different spacing geometry (3x3, 4x3, 5x3, 6x3, 7x3 and 8x3 m) of already established two-years old poplar plantation during 2019-20. Growth of poplar was found significantly higher in 3x3 m spacing. Growth and yield attributing parameters of wheat varieties (WH- 1105, HD-2967 and WH-711) were reduced significantly under different spacing geometry of poplar plantation in comparison to sole crop. The maximum grainyield (4.68 t/ha) was recorded in variety HD-2967, followed by WH-711 (4.25 t/ha) in wider spacing (8x3 m) of poplar. On an average, the highest per cent reduction in grain and straw yield over control was recorded in variety WH-1105 (23.9 and 18.2), followed by WH-711 (16.02 and 17.01) and HD-2967 (10.7 and 11.69) under 3x3 m spacing. The rate of decrease in straw yield was comparatively lower than grain yield under different spacing of poplar. The overall reduction in grain and straw yield was more under 3x3 m.