Intercropping of Pearl millet + Cowpea as Rainfed Fodder Crops with Aonla based Agri-horti-system

An experiment was conducted to utilize interspaces of grownup (13 years old) aonla plantation with rainfed fodder crop combinations to optimize forage and fruit production. The aonla fruit production was not influenced with intercropping of fodder crops under rainfed and produced fruit yield of 13.65 t/ha. Pearlmillet (multicut) + cowpea produced significantly higher yield 21.6 t green fodder as compared to 18.4 t green fodder obtained from Pearlmillet (single cut) + cowpea. Fodder production in association with tree was also higher (20.75 t green fodder) as compared to sole crop. Higher B: C ratio 2.48:1 and 4.02:1 respectively of aonla based fodder production was recorded in 1st year and 2nd year when aonla trees were intercropped with Pearlmillet multicut+cowpea. The soil nutrient build up was also noticed in fodder intercropped in association with aonla tree.