Tree spacings and nutrient sources effect on turmeric yield, quality, bio-economics and soil fertility in a poplar-based agroforestry system in Indian Himalayas

• Published in: Agroforestry systems 2024-04, Vol.98 (4), p.911-931
• Main Authors: Dash, Umakanta, Gupta, Bhupender, Bhardwaj, D. R., Sharma, Prashant, Kumar, Dhirendar, Chauhan, Anjali, Keprate, Alisha, Shilpa, Das, Jyotiraditya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agroforestry; Animal manures; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbon; Climate change; Composting; Crop diversification; Curcumin; Density; Economics; Farming systems; Forestry; Life Sciences; Nutrient sources; Nutrient status; Poplar; Quality management; Soil density; Soil fertility; Soil nutrients; Tree farms; Vermicomposting; Worms
• ISSN: 0167-4366; 1572-9680
• DOI: 10.1007/s10457-024-00962-3

The tree-based farming system is one of the finest options for crop diversification, ecological stabilisation and economic upliftment in the Indian Himalayan regions. Keeping this scenario in mind, an on-field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of Populus deltoides ‘G-48’ tree spacings (S 1 :6 m × 4 m, S 2 :4 m × 4 m) with open-field condition (S 0 ) and different nutrient sources [T 1 :Control; T 2 :100% RDN (recommended dose of nitrogen); T 3 :75% RDN + 25% FYM (farmyard manure); T 4 :50% RDN + 50% FYM; T 5 :25% RDN + 75% FYM; T 6 :100% FYM; T 7 :100% Vermicompost); T 8 :Jeevamrut (10%), each replicated thrice] on agronomic performance of Curcuma longa at Solan, India during 2019–2021. The results revealed that C. longa grown under tree spacing S 1 coupled with the application of T 3 treatment showed marked enhancement in growth, quality attributes of C. longa and post-harvest soil nutrient status whereas, yield attributes were better in S 0 . The yield of C. longa was curtailed by 22.5 and 31.6%, whereas curcumin content was enhanced by 13.4% and 12.2% under S 1 and S 2 , respectively over S 0 . The vegetation carbon density (66.38 Mg ha −1 ), total ecosystem carbon density (119.04 Mg ha −1 ), and total carbon sequestered (436.47 Mg ha −1 ) was found to be higher under S 1 , whereas soil carbon density (55.68 Mg ha −1 ) was maximum under S 2 being at par with S 1 . Maximum net returns (14,693 US$ ha −1  yr −1 ) were realised under S 1 tree spacing and T 3 treatment. Overall, the study concluded that in P. deltoids–C. longa system, application of 75% RDN + 25% FYM at 6 m × 4 m spacing of poplar have demonstrated efficacy in getting a better quality of turmeric, maintaining soil fertility, and combating climate change.