Saline Water and Agroforestry Systems on Degraded Land: an Evaluation

Abstract

Agroforestry improve the potential of degraded land, enrich life support system. Silvipastoral systems, one of the categories of agroforestry systems, grow a combination of grasses and multipurpose trees. The systems were developed in combination with plants viz; deshi babul ( Acacia nilotica L.), ber (Zizyphus jujuba L.) and jungal jalebi (Pithecellobium dulce Roxb.) and napier and Cenchrus grasses on riverine land and maintained with saline water of different salinity, ECe 5.7 to 13.2 dS m^-1 and pH 8.2-8.5.

Grasses were analysed for nutritive values and tested for digestibility on goats. Crude protein (7.4% and 8.1%), crude fibre (39.3% and 30.1%) and organic matter ( 87.1% and 93.5%) were estimated in napier and Cenchrus grass, respectively. Dry matter intake was 58.8 g kg^-1 BW ^0.75 and digestibility coefficient was lowest for ether extract and highest for crude fibre for napier. Dry matter intake was 52.7 g kg^-1 BW^0.75 and the digestibility coefficient was lowest for protein and highest for crude fibre in case of Cenchrus. Silvipastoral system can improve goat production and can increase the productivity of degraded land.