Effect of wind breaks for improving productivity of crops in arable lands in eastern dry zone of Karnataka.
Reddy V. S., Shankaranarayana V., Janakiraman N., Gowda T. N. V., Venkataramana P., Sivappa
Author Affiliation: Agricultural Research Station, Chintamani, Kolar District (Karnataka), India.
Crop Research (Hisar) 20 : 415-419
Abstract : A field experiment was conducted in the eastern dry zone of Karnataka, India, in the kharif seasons of 1990-97, to evaluate the suitability of Casuarina equisetifolia, Gravilla robusta [Grevillea robusta], Acacia auriculiformis and a Eucalyptus hybrid as windbreaks to improve productivity in mango orchards. The forest trees were planted in 1, 2 or 3 rows in 1990, and the number of forest trees per treatment varied from 7 to 21 as the number of windbreak rows increased from 1 to 3. Forest trees were planted in 0.50 m3 pits at 1.50 m intrarow distances. The same number of mango (cv. Raspuri) trees were used for each treatment. Mangoes were planted (in 1990) in 1.0 m3 pits at 10 m intrarow distances. In 1997, Eucalyptus exhibited the greatest height and stem girth (18.44 m and 21.66 cm, respectively), A. auriculiformis exhibited the greatest canopy spread (5.72 m E.-W. and 4.36 m N.-S.) followed by C. equisetifolia, and A. auriculiformis and C. equisetifolia exhibited the highest reductions in wind velocity (72 and 62%, respectively). However, the greatest increase in mango productivity was observed in 1995-97 when C. equisetifolia trees were used as windbreaks. Three rows of windbreaks increased the growth and yield of mango more effectively than single and double rows of windbreaks.