TRADITIONAL AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS AND RECENT TRENDS IN THE MIDDLE GUJARAT AGROCLIMATIC REGION

Abstract

IN THIS PAPER , THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE BOTH TRADITIONAL AS WELL AS NEW AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN VOGUE IN KHEDA , VADODARA AND PANCHMAHAL DISTRICTS OF GUJARAT HAVING TROPICAL SEM- ARID CLIMATE. IN THE TRADITIONAL AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS ( AFS) , A MULTIPURPOSE GRASSES , SHRUBS, TREES SPECIES ARE GROWN IN ASSORTED MANNER WITH AGRICULTURAL CROPS TO MEET THE BASIC NEEDS OF FOOD , FUELWOOD AND FODDER. THE MULTI- PURPOSE TREES (MPTs) GENERALLY FOUND IN TRADITIONAL AFS ARE ACACIA NILOTICA, AZADIRACHTA INDICA, PITHECELLOBIUM DULCE, PROSPIS CINERARIA, TAMARINDUS INDICA, HOLOPTELIA INTEGRIFOLIA, MAGNIFERA INDICA, ZIZYPHUS MAURITIANA, ANNONA SQUAAMOSA, MORINGA OLEIFERA AND HARDWICKIA BINATA. UNDER NON- ARABLE LANDS, MPTs AND FODDER GRASSES ARE PREDOMINANT. RECENT TRENDS OF AFS ENVISAGE PERFECT PLANNING OF COMPATIBLE MPTs AND FODDER GRASSES WITH CROPS. LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA WITH DICHANTHIUM ANNULATUM AND CENCHRUS CILIARIS IN 1:3 RATIO IS RECOMMENDED FOR MEETING THE FODDER AND FUEL REQUIREMENTS..... FOR MANAGEMENT OF AFS SIDE TRENCHING ( 0.4 m x 0.6m) AND 50% CROWN PRUNING HAVE BEEN FOUND USEFUL IN MINIMIZING ROOT COMPETITION AND SHADE EFFECT OF TREES