Litterfall and nutrients return in Eucalyptus with aromatic grasses under agroforestry system

An experiment was conducted In Distt. Rampur, U.P. to study the yields of aromatic grasses In pure fields as well as Intercrops under Eucalyptus. Higher herbage and oil yield was recorded in pure fields of aromatic grass than the intercrops grown under Eucalyptus hybrid stands. Maximum oil yield was produced by lemon grass and minimum by palmarosa. 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 Iitterfall to the soil increased as the age of trees increases. The maximum addition of nutrients was recorded in the field of Eucalyptus intercropped with palmarosa grass, while minimum was in Eucalyptus intercropped with citronella.