Growth performance and fodder production by bauhinia variegata l. and grewia optiva (drumm ex burr.) under rainfed agrofrestry in tarai region of Uttarakhand

An experiment on growth performance and fodder production from B. variegata and G. optiva was conducted at site-I; Dhaluwala majbata and Site-II; Dhaluwala kalan villages located at 77057’7”E longitude and 3002’31”N latitude with an altitude of 295m above mean sea level in plains of district Haridwar of Uttarakhand, a tarai region of the state. The seedlings of B. variegata and G. optiva were planted by keeping the distance 6mx6m (T1) and 6mx8m (T2) for both plant species at both sites as block plantation. The data recording from 2018 to 2021 was done on growth performance. Under the increment in height and girth of three years old plants of all the three species at site-I, Daluwala majbata, in 6mx6m spacing, G. optiva gained the height 150.60cm and girth 11.42cm and B. variegata ranked second with height 96.00cm and girth 13.81cm. In spacing of 6mx8m, B. variegata gained height of 101.89cm with girth 12.38cm while G. optiva gained height 136.69cm and girth 11.50cm in third year. At site-II, in spacing of 6mx6m, B. variegata showed height of 480.07cm with girth 21.31cm while G. optiva gained height of 431.67cm with girth 15.90cm. Likewise, in spacing of 6mx8m, G. optiva gained height of 504.46cm with girth 19.39cm and B. variegata showed height of 455.01cm but in girth performance B. variegata i.e. 20.57cm was found better than G. optiva i.e. 15.72cm. Data on canopy in east-west and north-south directions were also taken from 2018 to 2021. Fodder production was recorded in 4th year of the experiment after its establishment in 2018. The recording of data on fodder production was done by weighing the small green twigs leaves of trees after 50% lopping in the unit of kilograms/ tree and calculated in quintal/ ha. The fodder production in plantation of B. variegata with spacing of 6mx6m at site-I and II was 9.38quintal and 15.68quintal/ha respectively. Likewise, in plantation of 6mx8m spacing at site-I and II, the production of fodder in B. variegata was recorded as 7.24 quintal and 12.18 quintal/ha respectively. Likewise, the fodder production in plantation of G. optiva with spacing of 6mx6m at site-I and II was 8.98quintal and 14.26quintal/ha respectively. In plantation of 6mx8m spacing at site-I and II, the production of fodder in G. optiva was recorded respectively as 6.61quintal and 11.97quintal/ha. Overall, it was observed that both species have a potential to grow very well in tarai region of the state Uttarakhand under rainfed agroforestry. The present study reveals data taken on growth and fodder production of B. variegata and G. optiva.