PERFORMANCE OF OKRA, CANE AND MULTIPURPOSE TREE SPECIES IN MULTISTORIED AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Agroforestry Farm, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, during 20 April to 20 July 2007 to evaluate the performance of Okra plant and four cane species under different multipurpose trees as the lower and the middle storey crops in multistoried agroforestry system. The treatments were three tree species viz. Mehogony, Deshi neem and Eucalyptus, which were used as the upper storey. There was also a control (Open field) treatment. Four cane species namely Bhudum beth, Udum beth, Jali beth and Golla beth were used as the middle storey non-woody perennial and okra was used as the lower storey crop. This experiment was laid out in the single factor Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications for okra and two factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications for cane species. The aim of the experiments was to study the growth performance and selection of potential tree and cane species and also to assess the morphological behaviors and fruit yield of okra in the said multistoried agroforestry system. Considering cane species, jali beth was the best performer compared to other cane species. Udum beth + Deshi Neem was found as the best combination Significantly the lowest peformance was found in open field irrespective of cane species. Considering the tree effects, Mehogony was the best one followed by Deshi neem and significantly the poorest performance was found in the open field. Considering the lower storied crop (okra), highest vegetative growth was under mehogony with Jali beth combination followed by mehogony with Golla beth combination. In case of yield, the Open field ensured the maximum yield compared to other combinations followed by Mehogony with Golla beth but the lowest performance was recorded from the Eucalyptus with Jail beth combination.