Pre-bearing behaviour of some fruit crops under horti-silviculture system

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of poplar inter-cropping on pre- bearing behaviour of four fruit crops namely, peach, Kinnow, plum and guava. Per cent increment for stock diameter and height was observed in Kinnow and for scion it was in plum inter-cultivated with poplar. There was no significant effect of poplar canopy on growth of fruit trees, except in guava where height and tree spread were significantly higher. Photosynthesis rate was higher in the shade than in the open was maximum recorded in the guava (7.57 μmol m-2s-1) and minimum in Kinnow (3.04 μmol m-2s-1). The rate of photosynthesis was more during morning hours and least during afternoon in all the fruit crops.