EFFECT OF NITROGEN ON PRODUCTION OF AONLA (EMBLICA OFFICINALIS GAERTN.) BASED HORTIPASTORAL SYSTEM IN RAINFED ALFESOL

摘要

In the hortipastoral system Dichanthium annulatum was grown under the grafted aonla trees of cv NA7, which started bearing at 5th year (2000) from the planting, Nitrogen was applied to the pasture component in different doses In the first year of fruiting the average production was 2.64 t/ha, increasing to 7.5 t/ha in 2nd year and 15.72 t/ha in third year. The significantly higher fruit production was recorded with highest dose of N (60 kg N/ha) than control. The fruit weight, volume and size were inversely related to number of fruits/plant. The chemical composition (glucose and ascorbic acid) also varied with different nitrogen levels. The pasture production was slightly higher in association with tree than pure pasture. The highest doses of N produced significantly higher dry matter yield than control. The pasture production declined with increasing the age of tree.