Potential of Melia dubia-wheat based agroforestry system to cope up with climate change

Abstract

Climate change has impact on agricultural production, because it raises CO2 levels in the atmosphere, which leads to higher temperatures. Agroforestry systems aid in climate change adaptation and mitigation by providing relatively lower temperature beneath the tree canopy. Therefore, diversified agricultural systems are needed to be identified and studied throughout the world that can help annual crops in providing better survival conditions with least effects on yield. Although food crop output in agroforestry systems is lower than in open regions, agroforestry is seen to be capable of supporting food security, soil and water conservation, land use diversification, and micronutrient adequacy and most importantly climate change mitigation. The present study showed that all the tree parameters (i.e., tree DBH, tree height and canopy spread) recorded in the intercropped conditions (Melia dubia based agroforestry system) were found higher compared to the trees devoid of intercrops. Trees with intercrops showed more canopy spread, tree height and DBH (6.9 m, 16.3m, 56.6 m) as compared to pure stand (6.6 m, 16.2 m, 55.6 m) of Melia dubia trees. The canopy temperature depression (CTD) of wheat crop grown with Melia dubia trees was -5.58 0C whereas; -5.27 0C CTD was recorded in non-shaded conditions. Significantly higher biological yield was observed in wheat variety HD 3086 in open and intercropped conditions (134.9 q/ha and 100.5 q/ha respectively). Study revealed that M. dubia based agroforestry provides trees to perform better in intercropped conditions and provides favourable environment for the crop growing beneath in terms of lowering temperature and maintaining apt moisture to the crop raised beneath.