ORGANIC PRODUCTION OF TOMATO UNDER DIFFERENT MULTIPURPOSE TREE BASED AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES AS INFLUENCED BY MULCHING

Abstract

An experiment was carried out at the Agroforestry and Environment Research Farm, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), Dinajpur, during October 2016 to April 2017 to evaluate the performance of tomato under kalo koroi, gora neem and ipil-ipil based agroforestry systems as influenced by different organic mulching. The experiment was conducted in 9 years old established woodlot of multipurpose tree species namely Albizia lebbeck (kalo koroi), Melia azedarach (ghora neem) and Leucaena leucocephala) (ipil-ipil) and the tree spacing were 3m × 3m. A popular tomato variety ratan as the test crop. The treatments of the experiment were factor A: T0 = Tomato sole cropping (Control), T1= Tomato + Kalo Koroi, T2= Tomato + Gora Neem and T3= Tomato + Ipil-ipil while the factor B: M0= No mulch, M1= Ash mulch, M2= Saw dust mulch, and M3= Water hyacinth mulch. All the organic mulching materials were applied in 15 days after transplanting in the experimental plots. Seeds were sown on 10th October 2016 in the seed bed. Twenty one days old seedlings were transplanted in the main plots on 31st October 2016. The results of the research were showed that the effect of production systems were significant in respect of plant height (cm), number of fruits plant-1, fruit weight plant-1 and fruit yield of tomato, respectively. The highest yield (57.92 t ha-1) was found in sole cropping of tomato which was identical to (57.52 t ha-1) found in ipil-ipil + tomato based agroforestry system and also (54.17 t ha-1) in ghora neem + tomato based agroforestry system and the lowest yield (50.50 t ha-1) was observed in kalo koroi + tomata based agroforestry system. In case of organic mulching, the highest yield (63.42 t ha-1) was found in ash mulch which was identical to (61.25 t ha-1) found in water hyacinth mulch while the lowest yield (41.33 t ha-1) was observed in control (without mulch), respectively. The yield of tomato was also significantly varied due to interaction effect. Significantly the highest fruit yield (68.00 tha-1) was recorded in ipil-ipil + tomato under organic ash mulch treatment combination. On the other hand, the lowest fruit yield (36.67 tha-1) was recorded in kalo koroi + no mulch treatment combinations. The result revealed that the production of tomato will be ranked as open field > ipil-ipil > ghora neem > kalo koroi. Therefore, it should be mentioned that most of the organic mulch materials suitable for tomato in shade condition along with open field; but their degree of suitability will be as ash mulch > water hyacinth mulch > saw dust mulch. From the results and foregoing discussion, it is clear that open field is so good for the production of tomato in association of organic mulch but in MPTs based agroforestry system it could be grown well. Based on the finding it can be concluded that tomato (var. Ratan) cultivation under the ipil-ipil tree appears as the best than other trees with association of ash organic mulching.