Abstract
A model of high density plantation was developed and tested in two 0.5 ha fields each of land capability Class IIIes and IVe, at Johranpur Watershed in Solan District of Himachal Pradesh. The system comprised of Mango (Dashehari) at 9m x 9m spacing interspaced with early bearing Mango (Amrapali) at 4.5m x 4.5m. In between these two Mango cultivars, Papaya was sown at 2.25 m x 2.25 m. Inter row space was used for growing different annual crops like Tomato, Moong, Kulthi, Toria, Radish, Onion, Capsicum and Bottle Guard. In situ budded Aonla (var. NA-7) was planted on the periphery of field. Prior to the plantation, terraces were constructed on land to cut the degree of slope and Hybrid Napier was planted on terrace risers to provide strength to bund and green fodder for cattle. Survival percentage in the range of 70 to 89 for different fruit species was similar in both the marginal (LCC IIIes) and severely (LCC IVe) degraded lands. Comparatively healthier land facilitated 46 and 40 percent higher height and 112 and 89 percent higher basal girth in Mango Amrapali and Dashehari cultivars, respectively. Mango started yielding in 3rd year only on less degraded land. On the Class IIIes land, gross returns from various components were Rs 27,760, 65,175 and 71,200 per hectare during 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of plantation, respectively. These worked out to be Rs 54,715 per hectare per year in the pre-bearing stage and are much higher than gross return of Rs 47,634 under traditional Maize-Wheat rotation in similar type of degraded with two supplemental irrigations from harvested rainwater in the same watershed.
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