Some conservation based agroforestry systems (AFS) were developed for possible adoption in place of high risk rainfed farming on land capability classes I to 1V of a typical topo-sequence of foothill north India. The agri-silvi-horticulture system integrating leucaena, lemon, papaya and turmeric on class I irrigated land provided sustainable mean net returns of Rs. 17066 against Rs. 7852 ha. -~ yr. -a from double cropped agricultural system. The intercropping of cluster beans with leucaena gave the highest net returns of Rs. 3540 ha. -a yr. -1 in the agri-silvicultural system adopted on class II land. Eucalyptus tereticornis (Smith) in top and Bhabbar grass (Eulaliopsis binata Retz) in the understorey on a sandy loam class 11I land gave four years (1985-1988) mean air dry grass yield of 4.2 (used for paper pulp) from October mad 1.19 t. ha -~ yr. -a (used for fodder) from June cut. The net returns from grass alone were Rs. 4672 against Rs. 1679 ha. -1 yr. -~ from rainfed field crops raised on an adjoining plot. The returns from trees would be additional. Bhabbar grass raised under Acacia species on a 25 to 30% sloping gravelly class IV land provided yield varying from 2.18 to 4.31 from October cut and 0.50 to 1.1 t. ha. -a yr. -~ from June cut with 6 years mean of 3.9 t. ha. -~ yr. -a which at 1988 prices provided net returns of Rs. 2402 ha-L These AFS proved superior to traditional farming on each land capability class.
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