Maximizing Crop Productivity: Investigating the Impact of Land Use, Sowing Dates, and Wheat Varieties on Chlorophyll Content and APAR under Pongamia pinnata based Agri-silviculture system

Author: Makhan Singh Karada, R. Bajpai, S.B. Agrawal, M.K. Awasthi, Manish Bhan, Alok Kumar Singh and Bipin Kumar Singh

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Abstract

This study was conducted in JNKVV, Jabalpur, India, assessed the impact of land use systems, sowing dates, and wheat varieties on chlorophyll content and absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) in a Pongamia pinnata-based Agri-silviculture system. This experiment was conducted over two years in three-factor double split plot design. The open system consistently exhibited higher chlorophyll content and APAR values than the agroforestry system, attributed to improved light penetration and reduced shading effects. Early sowing led to significantly higher chlorophyll content and APAR values due to favorable climatic conditions and prolonged sunlight exposure. The MP-3336 wheat variety consistently displayed superior chlorophyll content, while GW-322 exhibited higher APAR values. Integrating complex interactions between multiple species in the Agri-silviculture system and addressing environmental variability while generalizing results to diverse agro-climatic regions pose challenges. Optimizing land use practices, selecting appropriate sowing dates, and utilizing high-performing wheat varieties are crucial for enhancing chlorophyll production, improving photosynthetic efficiency, and increasing crop productivity in Agri-silviculture systems. Conducting long-term monitoring to assess the system's sustainability and productivity, and exploring climate change impacts and economic analysis for informed decision-making are promising areas of future research.

Keywords

Agroforestry systems, Pongamia pinnata, wheat varieties, Chlorophyll content, PAR

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study highlights the significant impact of land use systems, sowing dates, and wheat varieties on chlorophyll content and absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) in a Pongamia pinnata-based Agri-silviculture system. The open system consistently demonstrated higher chlorophyll content and APAR values compared to the agroforestry system, indicating its superiority in promoting light penetration and nutrient availability. Early sowing exhibited higher chlorophyll content and APAR values compared to timely and late sowing, emphasizing the importance of favorable climatic conditions and longer exposure to sunlight for optimal photosynthetic activity. Among the wheat varieties, MP-3336 consistently exhibited superior performance in terms of chlorophyll content, while GW-322 showed higher APAR values at 15 DAS. These findings suggest genetic and varietal differences in chlorophyll biosynthesis and light interception. Overall, optimizing land use systems, selecting appropriate sowing dates, and utilizing high-performing wheat varieties are crucial strategies to enhance chlorophyll production, improve photosynthetic efficiency, and increase crop productivity in Agri-silviculture systems.

References

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How to cite this article

Makhan Singh Karada, R. Bajpai, S.B. Agrawal, M.K. Awasthi, Manish Bhan, Alok Kumar Singh and Bipin Kumar Singh (2023). Maximizing Crop Productivity: Investigating the Impact of Land Use, Sowing Dates, and Wheat Varieties on Chlorophyll Content and APAR under Pongamia pinnata based Agri-silviculture system. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(5a): 26-31.