Natural Resource Management - Agroforestry
- Four hedge row species Fleminggia macrophylla, Indigofera tinctoria, Crotolaria tetragona and Tephrosia candida were evaluated for their productivity of green leaf manure. Highest leaf biomass from 3 cuttings was obtained from Indigofera tinctoriai (7.1 t ha-1). If incorporated to the soil, it can add 60 to 70 kg nitrogen per ha.
- In the long term (20 years) evaluation of MPTs (Alnus nepalensis, Prunus cerasoides, Symingtonia populnea, Parkia roxburghii, Michelia oblonga, Gmelina arborea, Cryptomeria japonica, Cupressus torulosa, Pinus kesiya) maximum volume (278.29 m3/ha) was recorded in Michalia oblonga.
- In the silvi-horti-pastoral systems, pineapple (var. Kew) under the canopy of silver oak (Grevillea robusta) across the steep slope (25-30%) with 50 x 80 cm spacing with congo signal revealed highest system productivity. The average yield of pineapple in the understorey of G. robusta was16.5 q/ha and congo signal was 28.18 t/ha .
- A herbal garden was established consisting of different medicinal and aromatic plants of the region to generate awareness and impart training to the farmers of the state. Eight four species were maintained and about 600 farmers were given exposure visits and training on cultivation practices of major medicinal and aromatic crops.
Area of work
1. Suitable integrated farming system for NE Region
Among the five IFS models, highest benefit to cost ratio (1.76) was obtained in Dairy-fish-crop-vermi-compost-horticulture-hedgerow system. The resource poor farmers can adopt Crop-fish-poultry-MPTs system which required less investment with B:C ratio of 1.51.
2. Suitable agroforestry systems for hill ecosystem
Peach + Maize was found the most remunerative followed by Guava + Maize and Assam lemon + Maize in the mid hills of Meghalaya.
3. Mucuna genetic resources for higher yield and L-DOPA content
Highest seed yield per plant was recorded in the collection UPMP-11 (792 g) followed by WBNMP-3 (667 g), UPMP-2 (604 g), NGLMP-25 (572 g), WBNMP-6 (532 g) and WBNMP-7 (512 g). Nine collections such as ASMMP-30, NGLMP-25, NGLMP-28, UPMP-2, UPMP-11, WBNMP-1, WBNMP-3, WBNMP-6 and WBNMP-7 were resistant against rust.
4. Jatropha germplasm for higher yield and oil content
Highest seed yield was obtained from the PJS-2 (495 kg/ha) followed by Mawhati (485 kg/ha) and PJS-1 (475 kg/ha). Oil content was maximum for Mawhati (40.67 %) followed by Tura (39.67 %) and TFRI-2 (39.46 %).
Technologies / interventions available for farmers
- Location specific agroforestry models / integrated farming system for NE Region.
- Jhum improvement for sustainable production
- Bench terracing
- Bun across slope
- Contour cropping / Hedge row cropping
- Water harvesting (Jalkhund)
- Mixed cropping
- Half-moon terrace for fruit trees
- Contour drench / Catch pits
- Bio-fertilizers / Botanicals/ Composting
- High Yielding varieties
- Plant protection measures
- Mulching
- Micro-enterprises
- Piggery
- Poultry
- Apiary
- Aquaculture
- Mushroom
- Sericulture
- Lac cultivation
- Duckery
- Value addition