Plant Management in Agroforestry

Abstract

Agroforestry is the term given to sustainable land use systems which involve more or less intimate and interacting associations of agricultural/horticultural crops and woody perennials (tree, shrubs, palms, vines, bamboos) all on the same unit ofland. This form ofland use has two main objectives. Productivity, involving a multiplicity of outputs, and sustainability which implies the conservation, or ever improvement of the environmental aspects of the system. Immediate programme of investigation and research are needed to improve existing agroforestry system. The current rapid rate of deforestation in Manipur State and other parts of the country is largely the outcome of continuing competition from agriculture. It is against this background that recent efforts to improve agroforestry techniques aimed at the integration of compatible components of forestry and agricultural system should be viewed. The aspects covered in the study are : (1) The manipulation of individual trees for vegetative and reproductive yield; (2) Effects of increasing plant population densities; (3) Effects of manipulating tree/herbaceous crop mixtures and management in Agroforestry of trees grown for different purposes.