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| Thinly crowned poplars have the larger acceptability among farmers due to its fast growth, multiple uses of wood, less competition with the associated crops and tolerant to flooding for a short time during the rainy season. Besides, plantations receiving various silvicultural treatments of pruning, irrigation, fertilization and inter-cultivation have better growth and timber production than sole trees or poorly managed plantations. |
Tree Planting
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| Plant one-year-old entire transplant of poplar G3 in pits of size 60 x 60 x 60 cm filled with 8-10 kg FYM + 50 g DAP having the spacing 5 x 4 m. Irrigate regularly at weekly interval up to 60 days when the plant establishes and thereafter as per the need. |
Intercroping
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| Cropping pattern I: Grow maize cv. ‘Suwan’ (in rainy), followed by wheat cv.‘HUW 234’ (in winter) until the 4th year and after that, the shade-loving crop turmeric cv. ‘Rajendra Sonia’ from 5th to 9th year. |
| Cropping pattern II: Grow pegionpea cv. ‘Bahar’ up to 5th year and turmeric cv. ‘Rajendra Sonia’ from 6th to 9th year.Apply normal recommended doses of fertilizers, irrigations and other cultural practices for both the cropping patterns. Change in crop sequences with time is due to drastic reduction in yields and thus replacement with shade loving turmeric crop. |
Economics
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| At the end of 9th year the cumulative benefit : cost ratio under the cropping pattern – I may be 1: 5.32 and cropping pattern – II may be 1:6.37. |
| Poplars provide standing biomass of 90.6 t / ha at a short rotation of 9 years. Besides, disappearance of litter to the tune of 3.71 to 4.13 (3-year-old, young) and 10.55 to 10.74 t / ha (9-year-old, mature) protects the soil health from further deterioration and thus maintains sustainability. Thus, both the cropping patterns under poplar plantations are profitable in all respect. |
