Vol. 12, Special Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
Stanley Kombra, K Singh, Chhavi Sirohi, Sneh Yadav, Karishma Nanda, Kajal and Pooja

Abstract:
The goal of the current study was to assess the impact of a 7 × 3 m, roughly 3-year-old eucalyptus plantation on the growth and yield characteristics of wheat, and vice versa. The largest growth gain in plant height (14.1 m) and DBH (10.3 cm) of eucalypts was recorded with wheat intercropping rather than solitary eucalypts (without crop). At harvest, wheat intercrop with eucalypts had the highest number of plants (65) per meter row length, plant height (97.5 cm), dry matter accumulation (1635.2 g/m²), tillers/m² (319.5), grain yield (4.56 t/ha), straw yield (5.72 t/ha), biological yield (10.03 t/ha), harvest index (45.56%), and attraction index (96.33%). However, under eucalypts plantations, the maximum number of days required for spike appearance (50%) and days to maturity of wheat were noted. Under the eucalyptus plantation, there was an average drop of 10.86% in effective tillers/m², 18.42 in spike length, and 8.60 in number of grains per spike in wheat when compared to the control. In comparison to the control, the cropping system of wheat and eucalyptus showed the highest net return (Rs. 99265.6/ha). In comparison to the control (1.36), the total B: C ratio was calculated to be greater in the eucalyptus-based agroforestry system (1.66).