Impact of Eucalyptus camaldulensis field boundary plantations on the performance of cotton crop
Impact of Eucalyptus camaldulensis field boundary plantations on the performance of cotton crop
Ashar Farooq, Abdul Khaliq Chaudhry and Ghulam Muhammad
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted on six different farmlands of Southern Punjab (Pakistan) with the objective to evaluate the effect of Eucalyptus camaldulensis boundary plantations on the growth and yield of cotton crop. With north-south oriented tree rows, more reduction in yield (per acre) was observed on eastern aspect (20.0 %) as compared to western aspect (19.40 %). With east-west oriented tree rows, more reduction in yield was observed on northern aspect (16.90 %) as compared to southern aspect (15.80 %) respectively. The reduction in yield of cotton crop grown along the east-west oriented tree a row was relatively less than when grown along the north-south oriented tree rows. Minimum percent reduction in cotton yield (7.47%) on western aspect was observed where Eucalyptus was planted on main water channel and excessive amount of irrigation water was always available to the trees to meet their most of moisture and nutrient requirement. Plant density was significantly affected on northern, eastern and western aspects up to 7 m distance from the base of tree rows while it was non-significantly affected on southern aspect. Crop height was significantly affected up to 7.0 m distance from the base of trees on northern and southern aspects while significant effect on eastern and western aspects was observed up to 11m distance. Boll formation and cotton yield were significantly affected on eastern, western, northern and southern aspects. Cotton yield was deleteriously affected near the base of tree rows and it improved progressively with the increase in distance from tree rows. Significant reduction in yield was observed up to 11 m on northern aspect; up to 7.0 m on southern aspect and up to 16.0 m distance from tree row on eastern and western aspects respectively. Adverse effect on yield was noticed up to 1.64 times the average height of tree row on northern aspect; 1.51 times the average height of tree row on southern aspect; 1.58 times the average height of tree rows on eastern aspect and 1.51 times the average height of tree row on western aspect, respectively. Severe adverse effect of Eucalyptus on cotton crop can be attributed to the fact that the nutrient and water consumption of Eucalyptus is very high resulting in depletion of moisture and nutrients for cotton crop with low water requirement. Additional quantity of water and fertilizers should be provided up to 11.0 m distance from tree row to minimize the root competition.
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June 2008
Vol. 58, Iss. 2
