Phyto-sociological study of woody components in traditional agro-forestry systems of Boudh district, Odisha, India

Phyto-sociological study of woody components in traditional agro-forestry systems of Boudh district of Odisha was undertaken. Eight different types of agro-forestry systems viz alley cropping, horti-silviculture, home gardens, canal bank plantation, agricultural field bund plantation, boundary plantation, scattered tree planting and block plantation of tree species were observed. Plantation of multipurpose tree species in agricultural field bund (50.4%) was the major agro-forestry system practiced in rainfed areas while as alley cropping was practiced by 72.6 per cent people in irrigated agro-forestry. Out of the 91 tree species observed in tropical dry deciduous forests of Boudh 52 species were observed in different agro-forestry systems. Acacia nilotica, Tectona grandis, Madhuca latifolia, Borassus flabellifer and Phoenix alba were common tree species observed in both irrigated and rainfed agro-ecosystems. Relative important value index of tree species suggests that Acacia nilotica was the most desirable tree species of farmers (IVI-69.4). The diversity of tree species in rainfed agro-forestry was high (30.3/ha) but the density was more in irrigated agro-forestry (81.9/ha). People harvested an array of products from tree species but mostly fuel wood, fodder and medicines were mostly collected. These agro-forestry systems are sites of conservation of a large number of diversity of plants both wild and domesticated because of their utility to rural people. Further scientific and socio-economic evaluation of these complex productive systems is essential for wider adoption in the district and in other similar agro-climatic zones of the country for sustained food and livelihood security.