Introductory Agroforestry

SELECTION OF TREE CROP SPECIES FOR AGROFRESTRY

Agroforestry is a deliberate integration of trees and crops in general, in same unit of land. These trees and crops compete with each other for nutrients, moisture and light. Therefore there are both +ve and –ve interaction among different components. In order to have a positive interaction among different components one must select a compatible component so that from a single unit of land a farmer/cultivator maximize his production. While selecting tree species for agroforestry three factors must taken into consideration such as...

• CLIMATE
• SOIL
• BIOTIC FACTOR

CLIMATE:- TREE SPECIES SELECTED FOR AGROFORESTRY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT CLIMATE FACTOR

Hot desert: Prosopis cineraria, P. chinensis, Acacia tortilis, Capparis spp, Tecomella undulate

Cold desert: Populus nigra, P. cilita, P. alba, P. tremula, P. euphretica, salix alba, S fragilis, Juniperus

Tropical semi-arid: Prosopis spp, Acacia tortilis, A. nilotica, A. senegal, Albizia lebbeck, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Azadirachta indica, Salvadora persica, Tamarix spp
Subtropical semi arid: Pinus roxburghii, Acacia modesta, Albizia procera, Bauhinia variegata, Morus indica, Ficus spp

Temperate semi arid: Pinus gerardiana, Juniperus macropoda, Corylus colurna

Humid tropical: Terminalia myriocarpa, Tectona grandis, Terminalia alata, Schima wallichi, Gmelina arborea, Dipterocarpus macrocarpus, Cocus nucifera, areca catechu, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Pterocarpus santalinus, Chukrasia tubularis

Humid subtropical: Eucalyptus globulus, Acer oblungum, Acrocarpus fraxinifolius, Aesculus indica, Pinus kesiya, Prunus spp, Quercus spp

Humid temperate: Acer campbelii, abies pindrow, Quercus spp, Robinia pseudacacia, Pinus alata, P. wallichiana, Alnus nitida, Populus ciliata, Cryptomeria japonica

Subtropical semi-humid: Albizia chinensis, Pinus roxburghii, P. kesiya, P. ellioti, Grewia optiva, Celtis australis, Eucalyptus grandis, E. globulus, Toona ciliate

Tropical sub-humid: Eucalyptus teriticornis, E. citridora, Casuarina equisetifolia, Dalbergia latifolia, Bombax ceiba, Morus alba, Leucaena leucocephala, Dalbergia sissoo, Anthocephalus chinensis, Adina cardifolia, populus deltoides, Moringa oleifera

Subtropical semi-humid: Albizia chinensis, Pinus roxburghii, Grewia optiva, Celtis australis, Morus indica, Toona ciliata, Eucalyptus grandis, Eucalyptus globules

Temperate semi-humid: Acacia mearnsii, Acer oblungum, Alnus nepalensis, Cedrus deodara, Celtis australis, Fraxinus spp, Quercus spp, Juglans regia

SOIL:- TREE SPECIES SELECTED FOR AGROFORESTRY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT SOIL TYPE

Desert soil: Prosopis cineraria, P. chilensis, Acacia tortilis, A. senegal, A. nilotica, Salvadora spp

Recent alluvium: Acacia catechu, Dalbergia sissoo, Bombax ceiba etc.

Old alluvium:

Saline-alkali soils: Prosopis spp, Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, Ailanthus spp, Eucalyptus spp, Tamarix spp, Pongamia pinnata

Coastal and deltaic alluvium: Casuarina equisetifolia, Cocus nucifera, Areca catechu, Avicennia spp

Red soils: Tectona grandis, Madhuca indica, Mangifera indica, Dalbergia sissoo, Acacia nilotica, Leucaena leucocephala, Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus hybrid, Pterocarpus marsupium, Adina cardifolia, Dendrocalamus strictus

Black cotton soils: Acacia nilotica, A leucophloea, Tectona grandis, Hardwickia binnata, Adina cardifolia, Tamarandius indica, Aegle marmelos, Bauhinia spp, Dalbergia latifolia

Laterite and lateric soils: Tectona grndis, Eucalyptus spp, Acacia auriculiformis, Azadirachta indica, Tamarindus indica, Emblica officinalis

Peaty and organic soil: Syzygium cuminii, Ficus glomerata, Bischofia javanica, Lagerstromia speciosa, Glircidia sepium

Hill soils: Juglans regia, Alnus nitida, Toona serrata, Cedrus deodra, Quercus spp, Grewia optiva, Celtis australis

BIOTIC FACTORS:- Choice of species is also governed by biotic factors such as grazing, fire and incidence of Insect pest etc.