Evaluation of Alley Cropping system for Soil and Water Conservation

A field experiment was conducted at micro watershed with establishment of Leucaean (Subabool) key line as vegetative barrier on sloppy land to evaluate its performance with respect to soil erosion control, rain water conservation and increase in crop productivity. The Leucaena kelyines were established at 0.25 m and 0.50 m vertical interval. Two recommended package of practices pageonpea + sorghum and pigeonpea + soyabean were tested. The vegetative keyline at 0.25 m VI gave maximum net monetary returns under both intercropping systems. Monetary returns were less in crop without keyline.

The treatments of vegetative keyline established at 0.25 m vertical interval recorded minimum runoff of 7.75% and treatment of vegetative keyline 0.5 m vertical interval recorded runoff of 11.14% Maximum runoff of 19.675% was recorded in control. The minimum soil loss of 1.51 ton/ha was recorded under keyline at 0.25m VI as against 2.70 ton/ha in control. The pigeonpea + soybean intercropping system recorded minimum soil loss of 1.68 ton/ha. The highest soil moisture use (550.13 mm) was recorded by pigeonpea + soybean with combination of Leucaena keyline at 0.25 m vertical. The vegetative keyline reduces soil erosion from cultivated filed and increases the moinsture use and moisture use efficiency.