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The present investigation was carried out in the research area of Department of Forestry, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during the year 2017-18 to evaluate the effect of 2.8 years old already established eucalypts plantation at 7×3 m on growth, yield attributes and yield of barley. The maximum growth increment in plant height (14.1 m) and diameter at breast height (10.3 cm) of eucalypts was recorded under agroforestry than sole eucalypts (without crop). The maximum plant height (98.5 cm), dry matter accumulation (1098.3 g/m2), tillers/ m2 (360.5), grain yield (3.28 t/ha), straw yield (4.32 t/ha) and biological yield (7.60 t/ha) were observed at harvesting of barley in control (devoid of eucalypts trees) than barley intercropped with eucalypts. However, maximum number of days taken for spike emergence (50 %) (97.4 days) and days to maturity (139.4 days) of barley were recorded under eucalypts plantation. The average per cent reduction of 11.33 % in effective tillers/ m2, 15.15 % in spike length and 16.62 % in number of grains per spike in barley was recorded under eucalypts plantation over control. Maximum net return (Rs. 93347.1 ha-1) was observed under eucalypts + barley cropping system than control. The overall B:C ratio was calculated higher in eucalypts based agroforestry system (1.73) over control (1.15).

Agroforestry is an integration of tree species with agricultural crops or livestock that can be directly used to enhance agro biodiversity, rural livelihood and to meet the demand of green fodder throughout the year. Considering this fact, a study was done at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana to assess the productivity of fodder crops under poplar based agroforestry system. In February 2016, poplar was planted in six different spacing of 3× 3 m, 4×3 m, 5×3 m, 6×3 m, 7×3 m and 8×3 m. In this study, fodder crops (sorghum during Kharif season and oat and berseem during Rabi season) were intercropped in different spacing’s of poplar and compared with control in three replications. The results revealed that the maximum DBH (13.92 cm), basal diameter (16.90 cm) and crown spread (6.79 m) attained in 8×3 m spacing while maximum height (9.61 m) is attained in 3×3 m spacing. The highest pH (7.94) and EC (0.27 dS/m) were recorded in 8×3 m spacing while highest SOC (0.47 %), N (158.5 kg/ha), P (16.8 kg/ha) and K (343.8 kg/ha) were recorded in 3×3 m spacing. Green fodder biomass of sorghum (38.45 t/ha), berseem (64.56 t/ha) and oat (52.62 t/ha) was recorded higher in wider spacing (8×3 m) as compared to sole crops. The maximum light intensity (672.4 Lux) was recorded in 8×3 m at 1.00 pm in the month of July, 2018. Higher value of BCR was observed for poplar with oat (2.44) followed by poplar with sorghum (2.31) and poplar with berseem (2.28) under 3×3 m spacing indicating that closer spacing of 3×3 m of poplar is more economic than the other spacings due to more number of trees per unit area and more production of wood.

In Agroforestry systems, crops grown in interspaces of tree plantations undergo different kind of interactions with the environment, consequently affecting soil fertility in different ways. In the present study, soil and plants micronutrients and their uptake by five barley varieties (BH 946, BH 959, BH 393, BH 885 and BH 902) grown under poplar plantation as well as sole crop were examined. During this investigation, a significant increase in DTPA (Diethylene triamnine penta acetic acid) extractable micronutrients (Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Iron) was observed at all depths (0-15, 15-30 and 30-45 cm) under poplar plantation than sole crop. Sole crop exhibited higher micronutrient uptake than under poplar plantations. Maximum uptake of soil micronutrients like Zn, Mn and Cu (495.5, 527.06 and 53.8 g ha-1) were recorded in variety BH 946. However, variety BH 959 exhibited minimum uptake of soil micronutrients (401.85, 439.46 and 44.07 g ha-1) during this study.