Growth and yield response of wheat varieties under different spacings of poplar (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh.) based agroforestry system of Haryana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/ija.2026.28.02.07Keywords:
Agroforestry, Populus deltoides, wheat varieties, spacing, grain yield and light interceptionAbstract
A field experiment was conducted to assess the the growth and yield performance of wheat varieties under poplar based agroforestry system in semi-arid ecosystem of Haryana during 2020-21. One-year-old poplar saplings were transplanted during January-February 2017 at six spacings: 3×3 m, 4×3 m, 5×3 m, 6×3 m, 7×3 m and 8×3 m. After four years of plantation, tree growth, soil properties, light availability and crop performance were evaluated. Poplar height ranged from 14.3 to 15.7 m, while diameter at breast height (dbh) increased significantly with wider spacing, recording the highest value (22.6 cm) under 8×3 m spacing. Three wheat varieties (WH-1105, HD-2967 and WH-711) were grown as intercrops. Plant height, yield attributes and yield of wheat varieties were significantly influenced by poplar spacing. Among all the wheat varieties, HD-2967 exhibited superior growth and yield attributes under all the spacings of poplar plantation. The highest grain yield among intercrops was recorded in HD-2967 (4.10 t ha-1) followed by WH-711 (3.72 t ha-1) under 8×3 m spacing. Grain and straw yields declined significantly with closer spacing due to increased competition for light, moisture and nutrients. Maximum reduction in grain yield was observed under 3×3 m spacing, particularly in WH-1105. The study suggests that wider poplar spacings, particularly 8×3 m are more suitable for sustaining wheat productivity in poplar based agroforestry systems in the semi-arid conditions of Haryana, with HD-2967 emerging as the most suitable wheat variety for intercropping.
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