Organic source on productivity of pomegranate–lemongrass-based agroforestry system in central India

Abstract

The present study was conducted to assess the response of organic sources of nutrition on productivity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus Stapf.) under agroforestry system in central India. The experiment was designed in Factorial Randomized Block Design with two cultivars of pomegranate (V1—Ganesh and V2—Bhagwa) and four levels of nutrient management [T1—vermicompost (30\xa0kg/plant), T2—farm yard manure or FYM (30\xa0kg/plant), T3—vermicompost (30\xa0kg/plant)\u2009+\u2009FYM (30\xa0kg/plant) and T4—recommended doses of chemical fertilizers (RDF)]. A control of pure lemongrass was also maintained separately. The lemongrass was intercropped in a 4-year-old pomegranate orchard, and the observations were recorded consecutively for 3 years (2017, 2018 and 2019). Findings revealed that vermicompost either alone or in combination with FYM was more effective than the chemical fertilizer in influencing almost all the studied plant characters. Maximum collar diameter of pomegranate was found in T1 during 2017 (6.31\xa0cm) and 2018 (6.96\xa0cm), and in T4 during 2019 (7.13\xa0cm). Maximum number of fruits/plant was in T3 during 2017 (22.45) and 2018 (21.81), and in T1 during 2019 (24.26). Average fruit weight was maximum in T2 during 2017 (231.67\xa0g) and 2018 (261.67\xa0g) while in T4 during 2019 (260.36\xa0g), which was at par with T2 (253.78\xa0g) and T1 (242.75\xa0g). Average fruit yield was maximum in T3 during 2017 (4.70\xa0kg/plant), in T2 during 2018 (5.51\xa0kg/plant) and in T1 during 2019 (5.85\xa0kg/plant). When intercropped with pomegranate, lemongrass’s fresh biomass yield was maximum in T3 while oil recovery in T1 during period of investigation. The minimum fresh biomass and oil recovery were observed in T2. Pure lemongrass (control) plot yielded highest fresh biomass as well as oil recovery in all the 3 years of the study period. In nutshell, it is concluded that organic sources of nutrition in general and vermicompost in particular proved to be more effective than the chemical sources of nutrition for sustainable productivity from the pomegranate–lemongrass-based agroforestry system in rainfed conditions. Further, this system holds great promise for boosting farmers’ economy by providing extra income from lemon oil in drought stricken semi-arid regions of central India.