Sapota - Teak Based Agroforestry System

Sapota is an important tropical fruit crop grown in hill and transitional zone of
Karnataka under rainfed and also under irrigated situation. Broad spacing provided to this
crop provides an opportunity to an intercrop in the first few years. Considering this, an
experiment was initiated during 1976 in black clayey soils of Agricultural Research Station,
Prabhunagar, Dharwad. The experiment involved arable crops (paddy, maize, sunhemp),
horticultural crop (sapota), silvicultural sps. (Eucalyptus tereticornis, Albizia molucana,
Casuarina equisetifolia, Tectona grandis and Dalbergia sissoo). Sapota was planted at a
recommended spacing of 10 x 10m. Tree species were planted in between two sapota
plants. The tree rows being across the slope. The first tree was at 3 m from sapota and
subsequent 2 trees at 2 m, thus leaving 3 m again between last tree and next sapota. On
either side of sapota and tree species, guinea grass was planted in a strip of 1 m width. In
between two rows of sapota + trees, field crops were grown for initial 13 years viz., paddy
for 6 years, maize for 3 years and sunhemp for 4 years. Field crop yields were higher in
sapota + teak / Dalbergia sissoo as compared to eucalyptus and casuarina. Sapota yields
were lower with eucalyptus and casuarina. Due to the growth of sapota and tree species
initial 1 m strip of tree line enlarged to 5.8m by 17th year. Hence, the space available for
agricultural crop reduced gradually depending upon the growth of sapota and tree
species. Thus cultivation of arable crops became difficult after 13 years.
During 17th year, all the trees were felled in short rotation (Casuarina, eucalyptus,
A.molucana) and only adjoining trees of sapota were felled in long rotation species (teak
and sissoo). The economic analysis of income from different treatments was carried out
at the end of 17 years. The NPVs were negative for agroforestry system with eucalyptus,
casuarina and Albizia molucana indicating that these species are no way better than the
system without tree component. The Benefit cost ratio (BCR) was highest in agroforestry
system with teak (9.31) followed by sissoo (4.34).
Sapota fruit yields (26 years) increased in treatment where all trees are felled but
reduced in teak and sissoo due to the severe competition of the trees. Value estimation of
standing trees was made. Economic analysis revealed that BC ratio (3.19) and internal
rate of returns (29%) were higher in sapota + teak agroforestry system as compared to
other combinations. Hence sapota - teak based agroforestry is viable agroforestry model
for hill and transitional zones of Karnataka.

Sapota Teak Based Agroforestry System

Demonstration of Sapota + Teak Agroforestry system in Farmers field