No abstract

We observed the influence of five different altitudes and prevailing agro ecosystems on biomass and carbon sequestration potential in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The study area had five prevailing land uses viz., agriculture, agro-horticulture, horticulture, silvi-pasture, and forest at four elevations representing about 1°C temperature change. The results showed that maximum total biomass of 404.35 Mg C ha-1 was accumulated by forest landuse and followed a decreasing trend in the order as forest [ silvi-pasture [ agro-horticulture [ horticulture [ agriculture. Similar trends were also seen with respect to biomass carbon (C) density and C-sequestration potential of different land uses. Biomass and carbon density potential enhanced with the increase in the altitudinal ranges from 1100-1400 to 2000-2300 m a.s.l. But, the rate of C-sequestration potential enhanced from 1100 to 2000 m and declined at 2000-2300 m a.s.l. Maximum carbon density (393.29 Mg C ha-1) of both plant as well as soil was displayed by the forest-based land use systems situated at an altitudinal gradient of 2000-2300 m a.s.l. The rate of C-sequestration was maximum (2.17 Mg ha-1) in the agro-horticulture at 2000-2300 m a.s.l. This study brings out the potential of different land use systems influenced by varying factors on their C-sequestration potential in western Himalayan elevation gradient, thereby providing useful information for effective management in a climate change mitigation and carbon budget.

An experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2014, aims of the experiment were to investigate suitable sowing environment and bio-regulator and its effect on clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.), experimental treatments were applied foliar spray of thiourea (500, 1000 ppm) and salicylic acid (50, 100 ppm) at 45 and 60 days after sowing under normal (15 July) and late (30 July) sowing environments. Normal sowing performed well as compared to late sowing, in respect to all morphology and yield parameters. Amongst foliar spray, significantly higher plant height (100.17 cm), number of branches per plant (7.99), leaf area index (4.85), seed yield (9.19 q/ha) and harvest index (29.39) were recorded in foliar spray of thiourea 500 ppm as compared to all other bio-regulators spray level. Similarly, salicylic acid 100 ppm found statistically at par with thiourea 500 ppm foliar spray at 45 and 60 DAS. Impacts of climate change have significant reflections on clusterbean productivity. Sowing dates plays a vital role to determining the productivity of clusterbean with bio-regulators spray by controlling the environmental factors.

In the present study, forests at three altitudes, viz., A (600-900 m), A (900-1200 m) and A (1200-1500 m) above mean sea level having normalised differential vegetation index (NDVI) values of N (0.0-0.1), N (0.1-0.2), N (0.2-0.3), N (0.3-0.4) and N (0.4-0.5) were selected for studying their relationship with the biomass and carbon pool in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. The study reported maximum stem density of (928 trees ha) at the A altitude and minimum in the A and A with 600 trees ha each. The stem densities in relation to NDVIs were observed in the order N > N > N > N > N and did not show any definite trend with increasing altitude. Highest stem volume (295.7 m ha) was observed in N NDVI and minimum (194.1 m ha) in N index. The trend observed for stem biomass at different altitudes was A > A > A and for NDVIs, it was N > N > N > N > N. Maximum aboveground biomass (265.83 t ha) was recorded in the 0.0-0.1 NDVI and minimum (169.05 t ha) in 0.2-0.3 NDVI index. Significantly, maximum total soil carbon density (90.82 t C ha) was observed in 0.4-0.5 NDVI followed by 0.3-0.4 NDVI (77.12 t C ha). The relationship between soil carbon and other studied parameters was derived through different functions simultaneously. Cubic function showed highest r in most cases, followed by power, inverse and exponential function. The relationship with NDVI showed highest r (0.62) through cubic functions. In relationship between ecosystem carbon with other parameters of different altitudinal gradient and NDVI, only one positively significant relation was formed with total density (0.579) through cubic function. The present study thus reveals that soil carbon density was directly related to altitude and NDVIs, but the vegetation carbon density did not bear any significant relation with altitude and NDVI.