Winter leafy vegetables cultivation along with five years old Lombu (Khaya anthotheca) tree in charland based agroforestry system

A research experiment was conducted in Char Kalibari at the bank of Old Brahmaputra River under Sadar Upazila, Mymensingh during September 2015 to February 2016 to study the growth and yield performance of different winter leafy vegetables viz. radish, mustard, red amaranth, coriander and spinach under the strip of lombu (Khaya anthotheca) trees in both east and west direction. Different distances from tree base were considered as different treatments of this study i.e. T1= 0-3.0 ft., T2 = 3.0-6.0ft., T3 = 6.0-9.0ft. and T0 = control (open field without lombu tree situation). In each direction, different winter leafy vegetables were grown under different treatments following a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Morphological behavior, yield attributes and yield of all above mentioned winter leafy vegetables were significantly affected by lombu tree where control condition showed the most vigorous growth and yield performance. Highest values of different growth parameters and yield of all above winter leafy vegetables were recorded in treatment T3 of east direction which was significantly lower (10-12%) than control condition followed by treatment T3 of west direction, T2 of east direction, T2 of west direction and significantly minimum values were found in treatment T1 of west and east direction of lombu tree. Growth and yield of all studied winter leafy vegetables were drastically (70-74%) reduced very near the base (0 – 3.0ft. distance) of lombu tree. These values were dominantly (50-55%) reduced in 3.0 – 6.0ft. distances from tree base and moderately (8-12%) reduced in the distance of 6.0 – 9.0ft. from lombu tree base. Growth and yield reduction of all of these winter leafy vegetables was relatively higher (near 8%) in west direction compare to east direction.

Key words: Leafy vegetables, Khaya anthotheca, charland, agroforestry.