Indian J. of Agroforestry Vol. 12 No, 1: 23-26 (2010) 2 Influence of Melia azedarach based land use systems on economics and reclamation of salt affected soil D.P.S, Nandal and Ravi Kumar Department of Forestry, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar- 125 004 (Haryana) ABSTRACT : A eld experiment was conducted during July, 1992 to June 2002 on sandy loam saline sol to study the effect of Melia based agroforestry, forestry and agriculture land use systems on economic feasibly and reclamation of saline sol. The green matter yield of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata), grain yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum Vuigare) and green fodder yield of berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) remained unaffected due to Melia azedarach duting the first four years of plantation. However, ftom fith year onward, yield of al the crops decreased under Melia compared to contol (fied without trees). Ohaincha-berseem crop rotation gave the highest net present value, benefit cost ratio and intemal rate of return. Plantation of Melia alone was not found economical ona saline soll. Amarked decrease in electrical conducthity and increase in organic carbon and nitrogen content was recorded under all the land use systems. Key words: Agroforestry, forestry, agriculture, landuse, saline soil reclamation. 4. INTRODUCTION Increasing pressure on land resources due to increasing human and livestock population has created a strong competition in the carrying capacity of the land. Therefore, it has become imperative to develop the marginal land and saline wastelands under productive land use systems. These soils are mostly found in semi-arid regions and have become unproductive due to high salt concentrations in the root zone of the soil profile. ‘Sometimes such lands do not support even the natural grasses and remain barren. Haryana has 123 sq, km area under strong, moderate and slight salinity and the areaisincreasing every year due to rise in water table in areas where underground water is brackish. On such lands agroforestry with salt tolerant tree species like Melia helps in better and faster removal of salts from the crop root zone than simple use of water for leaching down the salts, (Singh, et al. 1994). Recently many authors (Dass and Ahuja, 1998; Jain ef al, 2002) have Proposed agroforestry on salt affected soils but the practical aspects such as the cost of establishing a plantation, management, production and economic return have generally been neglected. In the present study, the production of agricultural crops both in association with Melia and sole crops, effect on soil pH, ECe, organic carbon, nutrient content and economics of different land use systems have been studies. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted at the forestry research area of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar research farm from July 1992 to June, 2002. The field selected for the study was lying fallow for many years and even natural grasses were not ‘growing due to very high salt concentration. The average rainfall at the station is 425 mm and water table of the experimental site was within 2 m depth. The soilof the experimental field was sandy loam in texture, low in available nitrogen, medium in phosphorus and rich in potassium. Melia azedarach was planted in the month of July at 5 m apart in 5 m wide rows. The effect of Melia plantation on reclamation of saline soil was evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. The treatments included Melia + agricultural crops (Dhiancha - wheat, barley, Berseem) and Melia alone. The Agricultural crops. were also grown in the adjacent saline field (control) in three replications in 5 m wide and 30 m long strips. Agricultural crops were raised with recommended package of practices both in agroforestry and control. Canalirrigations were given to the agricultural crops, and the same numbers of irrigations were also applied to the Melia sole plots. Soil samples were taken from 0-20 om soil depth at the start of experiment from 5 spots of each land use system and a composite sample was then prepared for soil chemical analysis. At the termination of experiment, separate soil samples (0-20 cm depth) were taken from different land use systems for chemical analysis of soil, Data on crop yield were recorded at the time ofcrop harvest and for Melia tree height and girth was recorded every yearin the month of July. 24. Profitability analysis of agrisilvicuture system ‘The study analyzed the profitability of the Melia based agrisilviculture system where different crop, rotations were followed, It projected the streams of benefits and costs based on data recorded from start of the experiment to the termination of the studies.24 Melia azedarach based land use systems and rectarration of salt affected sol 2.2 Benefits The stream of benefits was obtained from values of output from agricultural crops grown each year and auction value of Melia trees at the end of rotation. Minimum support price of wheat and barley and prevailing market rates of berseem fodder each year were taken as the sale rates. For dhaincha, the amount saved on 25 per cent reduction in application rate of nitrogen fertilizer to the succeeding crops, was accounted for income from dhaincha crop. Income from Melia trees consisted of auction value of the trees. Small branches were pruned before sowing of winter season crops and were allowed to shed leaves in situ. Thereafter these branches having no economic value were removed fromthe field. 23 Costs The cost items include the cost of plants, labour charges for digging pits, planting of Melia, gap filing and pruning of trees, tractor charges for ploughing the field for intial ield preparation and later on for cultivation of crops, material inputs such as seed and fertilizer, labour cost for different field operations, harvesting and threshing charges of crops, interest on working capital, risk and management charges, etc. The rental value of land was calculated on the basis of prevailing market prices in nearby villages of CCS HAU, farm forthe same type ofland. The rental value of al the experimental land use systems was identical starting from Rs. 5000/- halyear in 1992 which increased to Rs. 7500/- halyear in 2002 with increase in rental value of land after every 2 to 3 years. Rental value of the land at the prevailing ‘ates accounted for about 60 per cent of the total cost of cultivation of dhaincha, 30 per cent of wheat, 40 per cent of berseem and 35 per cent of barley. Rental value of land for melia alone cultivation accounted for about 50 per cent of the total expenditure incurred on raising of Melia Rental value ofland accounting for major portion of total cost of cultivation of these cropshas also been reported by the District Extension Specialists (Economics) in Agricultural Officers Workshop of the CCS HAU ((Anonymous, 1992-2002), Hisar. Profitability of the system was evaluated based on the three criteria: Net present value, benefit cost ratio and internal rate of retum. The discount rate of 10 per cent was chosen to calculate the value of above criteria 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Performance of agricultural crops The performance of Dhaincha grown for green manuring during the first year was very poor due to oor germination and growth on account of high salinity (Table 1). However, from second year onward, the green matter yield of dhainca improved considerably both in agroforesiry as well as in pure crop. After four years of Melia growth, the yield of Dhaincha under agroforestry declined markedly due to reduced light availability under Melia, In various agroforestry studies, it has been demonstrated that the shading affected under- storey crops by reducing temperature and affecting both the quality and quantity of light (Monteith et al 1989). During the first four years, the yields of all the winter season crops were zlmost identical both in association with Melia and in control (Table 1) However, from fifth year onward, the yield of all the winter season crops declined under Melia. The decrease was minimum in Berseem and maximum in wheat. Less yield reduction in berseem than wheat has also been reported by Nandal and Hooda (2005) in poplar based agroforestry system Table:1_Grain/straw/fodder/green matter yield (q/ha) of different crops in Melia_and Control Year ‘Agroforesty Control Dhaincha Wheat Berseem Barley Dhaincha eat Berseem Barley es 6 Ss s 6s 1992-93 50120 «201 (184 «198350 48~SC132KOSABT~=SiC«NBS«8DS 1993-94 2 195-2152 STS Bt 3 30H 19.8403 1994-95 210 308 365 615 «213-395-202 TB 30S BHC RAS 1995-96 2 32.2 400 581208 385 1988S SS 57GB HS 1996-87 179 300-415-4764 425 2382 38H HD 53H HG 52 1997-98 3 318 405 5682323517842 BOA 688A (388 1998-99 392 1995155 HTS SB 3228S 1999-2000 35-196 «37.6 «360 209 520 19541 SAT 51533647 2000-2001 «25134 «30.1 210 246 503 OT HBA BTS TZ 2o0t-2o02 40108250393 17.0— 385387228756 G:Grain, S: StrawIndian J, of Agroforestry Vol. 12 No, 1: 23-26 (2010) 8 and Dagar and Singh (2001) in Casuarina based agroforestry system. The shade has been found to have less adverse effect on vegetative growth of a crop than its grain development and yield. The decrease in the straw yield of wheat and barley under agroforestry was less than decrease in their grain yield. Generally, the yield reduction during the winter season was less than rainy season due to the fact that Melia like poplar sheds its leaves during the winter season (Sarlach et. a/., 2007). 3.2 Tree growth Melia height and girth increased gradually with increasing age (Table 2). The maximum increase in tree height was recorded during the first year and between sixth and eighth years of plantation, whereas, tree girth showed maximum increase during the firstfive years. Both tree height and girth were found higher in intercropped field than pure stand of Melia. Higher height and girth of Melia in agroforestry than sole crop of Melia might be attributed to benefit of crop management practices like field preparation, fertilizer application and addition of nitrogen through green manuring of dhaincha available in agroforestry. Similar findings have also been reported by Naugraiya and Jhapat Singh (2004), 3.3 Economics ofthe systems Besides other, economic viability is one of the essential considerations for adoption of any technology under farmer's field. Data given in Table 3 revealed that maximum undiscounted income was obtained when daincha-berseem crop rotation was adopted in agroforestry. The maximum net present value, B:C ratio and internal rate of retum were also recorded in agroforestry with dhaincha-berseem crop rotation followed by dhaincha-wheat and dhaincha-barley rotations. Raising of Melia alone resulted in negative undiscounted income and net present value. The negative returns were obtained due to poor growth (Girth), lower market rate and high cost of Cultivation. Benefit cost ratio and internal rate of return were also less than one indicating that plantation of Melia alone on a saline soil is not Temunerative. Higher net returns from poplar and mango based agroforestry systems have also been reported by Dutt and Thakur (2004) and Awasthi et al (2005), respectively compared to monocropping of poplar or mango. 3.4 Effect on soil properties ‘Amarked fall in pH and EC was observed from the Table 2: Melia height and girth in agroforestry and sole plots Year Height (m) Girth (em) ‘Agroforestry Sole Agroforestry Sole 1992 0.43 0.45 17 19 1993 24 19 11.0 16 1994 38 36 172 16.0 1995 43 39 214 19.4 1996 59 55 38.1 35.3 1997 73 69 45.4 41.0 1998 84 75 50.9 458 1999 104 98 53.3 479 2000 13.2 128 58.6 48.9 2001 14.0 13.2 60.0 53.5 2002 148 135 63.0 54.6 Table 3: Profitabaility analysis of Melia based agrisilviculture system Criteria Mela Mela + Mela Melia + alone _Dhaincha-Wheat —_Dhiancha- Barley _Dhaincha -Berseem UUndiscounted income (Rs.tha) Aa05 19784 9981 93707 Discounted measures: Net present value 35491 4104 4406 67326 Benefit cost rato 031 1.04 0.95 115 Inter rate of return (%) <10 62 24 55.026 (Melia azedarach based land use systems and reclamation of sat affected sol mean original values of 89 and 9.5 dSm", respectively, under all the land use systems (Table 4). However, maximum decrease in EC was recorded in agroforestry followed by agriculture and forestry land use systems. Higher reduction in salt concentration under agroforestry might have been mediated by root exudates and/or products of decomposition of tree and crop litter. The extensive root system of Melia also favours efficient salt leaching. Agroforestry, forestry and agriculture land use systems during their nine year growth Period increased mean organic carbon and available N in the 0-20 om layer of the profile from 0.24%, 126 kg ha’'to 0.38% and 183 kg ha'(Table 4). This was due to increased biological activity through crop and tree roots, ltter fall and N fixation and addition by the dhaincha. At the end of rotation, mean P and K contents in all the land use systems decreased over their original values. The decrease in P and K contents is obviously due to their removal by crops and trees and non- application of K through fertilizers. Similar depletion in available P and K status in P_juliffora and Leptochioas fusca grass combination based agroforestry practice for the development of salt lands has also been reported by Singh (1995). Table: 4 Initial and final soil properties under different land use systems Land use system pH Eoe (dS) Organi carbon (%) Nutrient content (kghha) N P K 19922002 1992 200219922002 19922002 1992-2022 1992_—2002 Agroforesiy 92 85 890 020 02 039 12 178 10 6 668 225 Forestry 88 83 10.00 130 026 036 190 188 8 5 517 (240 Agicutue 87 82 915 034 023 039 123 182 10 4 se 140 REFERENCES ‘Anonymous, 1982-2002. Eeonomies of Rabi and Khari rops in Haryana forte yea's 1982-2002. Presented at Reb and ‘nant Agicultural Offcers workshopsheld inthe months of Feburary. and. September in. respective. years, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar ‘Awasthi, OP, Singh, J. and Samo, PL. 2005. 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