1Agroforestry and Restoration Ecology Laboratory, Department of Forestry, School of Earth Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Mizoram University, Tanhril, Aizawl-796 004, Mizoram, India.
2Department of Forestry, Royal Global University, Guwahati-781 001, Assam, India.
*Corresponding Author: Kalidas Upadhyaya, Agroforestry and Restoration Ecology Laboratory, Department of Forestry, School of Earth Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Mizoram University, Tanhril, Aizawl-796 004, Mizoram, India. Email: kumzu70@gmail.com
A comprehensive agronomic investigation was undertaken to assess the impact of different conservation farming practices on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays) within alley cropping systems established using Flemingia semialata and Senna timoriensis as companion woody hedgerow species in Sakawrtuichhun, Mizoram, during 2021 (April-July) and 2022 (April-July) for two seasons respectively.
A factorial randomized block design with eight treatments (T0-T7) and three replications was used, with alleys spaced at 3 m having a plot size of 2 m × 3 m. Treatments comprised various combinations of tilling, crop residue mulching and crop rotation with the application of pruned biomass from the hedgerow species.
The data analysis revealed significant variations (p<0.05) among treatments and maize performance. Maize exhibited superior growth and yield parameters in Flemingia semialata alleys compared to Senna timoriensis alleys. Treatment T3 (Tilling + crop residue as mulch + crop rotation) demonstrated the highest grain yield and benefit-cost ratio among all treatments. The findings conclusively suggest Flemingia semialata alley cropping system combined with crop residue application as mulch, conventional tilling and crop rotation by a legume crop as an effective agroforestry approach for optimizing maize yields under the specific agroecological conditions of the study area.
Alley cropping, Benefit cost ratio, Grain, Mulch, Tilling, Woody perennial
