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Land use options on a semi-arid Alfisol

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

S.K. Das ,
Shriniwas Sharma ,
K.L. Sharma ,
Neelam Saharan ,
N.N. Nimbole  and
Y.V.R. Reddy
S.K. Das
Affiliation:
Principal Soil Scientist (Soil Chemistry/Fertility), Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500 639, Andhra Pradesh, India
Shriniwas Sharma
Affiliation:
Principal Scientist (Soil and Water Conservation), Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500 639, Andhra Pradesh, India
K.L. Sharma
Affiliation:
Scientist (Soil Chemistry/Fertility), Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500 639, Andhra Pradesh, India
Neelam Saharan
Affiliation:
Scientist (Agricultural Chemistry), Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500 639, Andhra Pradesh, India
N.N. Nimbole
Affiliation:
Scientist Selection Grade (Agronomy), Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500 639, Andhra Pradesh, India
Y.V.R. Reddy
Affiliation:
Principal Scientist (Agricultural Economics), Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500 639, Andhra Pradesh, India
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Abstract

Four land use options—annual cropping, agroforestry, agrihorticulture, and agrosilviculture—were tried on a Land Capability Class IVs Alfisol under rainfed conditions to find a farming system that would be profitable and sustainable. The agrihorticultural system required more cash input but gave a value/cost ratio of 2.16 compared with 1.95 with annual cropping, 1.69 with agroforestry and 1.52 with agrosilviculture. Runoff was 4.9% in the agrihorticultural system, and 10.6% with agroforesty. Economic and soil health considerations led to the conclusion that the agrihorticultural system would be a sustainable land use option for the semi-arid Alfisol However, other options also are profitable, with value/cost ratios of more than 1.50. Therefore, land users can choose among several systems, depending on their desired production level and their investment capacity.

Keywords

agrihorticultureagroforestryagrosilvicultureannual croppingsustainable land use
Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , March 1993 , pp. 34 - 39
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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