Growth performance of Melia dubia in agroforestry in the central dry zone of Karnataka

Abstract

Malabar neem (Melia dubia Cav.), commonly called as Hebbuvu or Dreak or Gora Neem, is a dry deciduous multipurpose tree belongs to the family Meliaceae. It is an indigenous and multipurpose fast growing tree species, which has a great potential as a plantation species to meet the raw material requirement of the various wood-based industries. The present study was conducted at Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station, Hiriyur to assess the growth performance of Melia dubia planted at a spacing of 4 m × 1 m, 4 m × 2 m and 4 m × 3 m in sole condition without intercrop and with integrating horse gram as intercrop. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with six treatments and four replications. Tree parameters viz., tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH) and crown diameter were recorded and basal area and volume of trees were calculated before sowing as initial readings and after harvest of horse gram as final readings. The study revealed that performance of Melia dubia with and without horse gram intercrop was on par and relatively higher in intercropped condition. It was also evident from the present investigation that higher performance of M. dubia was recorded under wider spacing of 4 m × 3 m followed by spacing of 4 m × 2 m and least performance was found in the spacing of 4 m × 1 m. In the present study 4 m × 3 m spacing might be most suitable for taking up M. dubia based agroforestry in the central dry zone of Karnataka.