Carbon sequestration: underexploited environmental benefits of Tarai agroforestry systems

The experiment was initiated in October, 2005 under four different agroforestry systems, viz., Populus deltoides ‘G-48’ + wheat in block plantation, Eucalyptus hybrid + wheat in boundary plantation, Populus deltoides + wheat boundary plantation and Populus deltoides + lemon grass in block plantation under nine years old block and boundary plantations of Populus deltoides and Eucalyptus hybrid with wheat (Triticum aestivum) and lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus). The present investigation deals with effect of structural composition of agroforestry system, number of woody perennial involved in the system and the management practices plays a major role in influencing the biomass level, carbon storage, CO₂ mitigation potential and total carbon sequestration (in trees) of 70.59 t ha⁻¹, 21.38 t ha⁻¹, 116.29 t ha⁻¹ and 18.53 t C ha⁻¹ in system Populus deltoids + wheat followed by 68.53 t ha⁻¹, 20.63 t ha⁻¹, 113.03 t ha⁻¹ and 17.60 t C ha⁻¹ in system Populus Deltoids + Lemon Grass, respectively. It was observed that Populus deltoides + wheat and Populus deltoides + lemon grass under block plantation have the maximum potential to sequester carbon than the boundary plantations of Populus deltoides and Eucalyptus hybrid.