An experiment was conducted in Distt. Rampur, U.P. to study the yields of grasses in pure fields as well as in intercrops. Higher herbage and oil yield was recorded in pure fields of aromatic grasses than the intercrops grown under Populus deltoids stands. Maximum yield was produced by palmarosa and minimum by citronella. Higher quantity of litter was produced in palmarosa and lower was produced in citronella intercropped trees. The concentration of nutrients in the litter decreased with increaSing age of the stands. The total addition of nutrients (N, P, K) through litterfall to the soil increased as the age of trees increased. The maximum addition of nutrients was recorded in the field of poplar intercropped with palmarosa grass, while minimum was in poplar intercropped with citronella.
Populus deltoids, litter fall, nutrient return, aromatic grasses
