Abstract

Field trials were conducted in agroforestry system involving multipurpose tree species and fodder crops to assess the biomass production in Acacia leucopholea, Ailanthus excelsa, Tectona grandis , Gmelina arborea, Erythrina indica, Pongamia glabra and Thespesia populenea based silvipasture system . The results revealed that A. leucopholea + Cenchrus Ciliaris gave the highest LER of 1.13. Under 15 years old A. excelsa plantations, fodder cow pea recorded the highest fodder yield of 7.08 t ha-1 with LER value of 0.84. Desmanthus virgatus was found to be a compatible fodder crop for teak plantations of 10 years old and guinea grass recorded the highest green fodder yield of 3.91 t ha-1under pungam based silvipasture system. In all the silvipastoral systems, irrespective of the tree component, grass fodder recorded the highest RYT followed by legume fodder.

Keywords: Silvipasture, Fodder yield, Land Equivalent Ratio, Relative yield total.