B. M. Sharma , J. P. Gupta , S. S. Rathore

Abstract

Field trials conducted at Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, for seven consecutive years (1988 to 1994) revealed that yields of Cenchrus ciliaris and Lasiurus sindicus grown in association with trees were lower than the yields of sole grasses. The changes in height of Acacia tortilis and Zizyphus rotundifolia were also more under the control. The height of trees decreased in association with grasses. The average soil moisture stored in the 90 cm profile under A. tortilis was lower as compared to Z. rotundifolia. Moisture storage decreased further when the grasses were grown with the trees. Organic matter increased over the initial level in all tree-grass combinations. The uptake of P by the two grasses alone or in combination with trees, was marginally different. While the uptake of Ca, Mg and K was considerably higher by L. sindicus than C. ciliaris.

Full Text

     

R. K. Aggarwal , Praveen Kumar , L. N. Harsh , B. M. Sharma

Abstract

The paper deals with utilisation of textile industrial effluents for irrigation in forest plantations and its effect on soil properties in arid land of Western Rajasthan. The mean chemical composition of textile effluents showed pH of 9.4, RSC 34.6 mel⁻¹, SAR 152.2, Na 2025 ppm, carbonates 430 ppm and near absence of calcium, magnesium, Pb and Cd. The performance of eight tree species of economic value viz. Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, Prosopis cineraria, Colophospermum mopane, Hardwickia binata, Prosopis juliflora and Acacia tortilis irrigated with these effluents was studied, under field conditions. The soil in the planting pit was treated with gypsum (3 kg/pit), FYM (5 kg/pit) and gypsum + FYM before transplanting of seedlings besides keeping a control. The rate of growth during one and half year after planting was normal, though the increase in growth varied with the tree species and soil treatment. Maximum height was recorded in E. camaldulensis (ranging from 213 to 252 cm/ tree). The growth in general was higher when soil was treated with gypsum + FYM followed by gypsum alone. The results thus indicate that highly sodic textile effluents can be used for growing the tree species, and its deleterious effect on soil can be mitigated by addition of gypsum in soil.

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma , S. S. Rathore , J. P. Gupta

Abstract

The effect of growing pearlmillet and clusterbean crops in association with Acacia tortilis and Zizyphus rotundifolia on tree growth, crop yields, soil moisture and organic matter were ascertained for four consecutive years under arid conditions. The results revealed that the grain and straw yields of pearlmillet and clusterbean grown in association with trees decreased compared to sole crops. The reductions in yields under Acacia tortilis were more than Zizyphus rotundifolia. Clusterbean suffered greater reduction as compared to pearlmillet. Growth of trees was maximum in the control (Tree alone) while in association with the crops it decreased. Height increment in A. tortilis was more in association with clusterbean than that with pearlmillet while Z. rotundifolia attained greater height when in association with pearlmillet. Profile moisture stored at the time of crop harvest was maximum in sole crop of clusterbean and higher in clusterbean.Z. rotundifolia than clusterbean.A. tortilis. The organic matter content of soil after four years increased over the initial and followed the order: Clusterbean > Pearlmillet and Z. rotundifolia > A. tortilis.

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma

Abstract

A correlation of the nutrient content of the leaves with exchangeable cations in the soil for Prosopis jullflora DC. in the scrub forest of the Thar Desert of India has been presented. The soils supporting the tree are mostly yellowish brown, coarse, sandy, alkaline and having little organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Calcium and carbonates tended to increase with depth while magnesium showed a decrease. The amount of excbangeable calcium in the soil decreased mostly as the exchangeable spdium increased. In general, magnesium is comparatively higher in the habitat. Foliar analysis reveals that magnesium and phosphorus contents are less than 1 per cent but sodium Is the highest indicating the capacity of the plant to tolerate the salinity. The correlation of the soil and foliar contnmts shows that potassium and phosphorus are fairly related (r= 0.74 and 0.61 respectively).

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma , A. O. Chivinge

Abstract

Field observations about Dactyloctenium aegyptium (Linn.) P. Beauv. in the University of Ibadan campus in Nigeria revealed important differences among individual plants. The plants were, therefore, classified into three arbitrary groups designated as forms A, B and C. The three forms were subjected to different cultural treatments to find out if the variations justify their designation as ecotypes. The experiments revealed certain persistent differences among the three forms with respect to : (a) growth habit, (b) growth pattern, (c) flowering period, and (d) chromosome numbers. The results indicate that the Nigerian representative species of Dactyloctenium aegyptium is made up of ecotypes.

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma

Abstract

The nutrient content of the leaves of Salvadora persica L. of the Indian Thar Desert was studied in relation to its soils. The soils which were mostly light yellowish brown in colour, coarse-sandy in texture and alkaline in reaction contained a meagre amount of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. The contents of exchangeable calcium and sodium and available phosphorus did not change appreciably with soil depth. The content of different cations in soil varied at different sites but the depressions had comparatively lesser potassium than the sandy plain areas. The same was seen in respect of sodium, calcium and magnesium also. The foliage of the plant is richer in calcium and sodium, with strong positive correlationship (r=0.81) between soil and leaf potassium.

Full Text

     

C. K. Atal , B. M. Sharma , A. K. Bhatt

Abstract

Strategic situativon of Jammu and Kashmir State alls for a knowledge of its wild flora which could be used as source of food under conditions of emergency. Areas in and around the border town of sunderbani have been surveyed for such plants and potentiality of latter in the above respect has been discussed. Descriative comments and illustrations have been furnished to facilitate the diagnosis of Pueraria tuberosa C.tuberulala Dioscoreas belophylla and D.bulbifera in field. C.tuberoulala is unsuitable on account of its unique shape P.tuberosa possesses much swollen tubers rarely also the ischolar_mains acquiring the appearance of headed strings of D.bulbifera and D.belophylla can be distinguished from each other by their specific direction of twining. From other twiners in the area they can be distinguished by the presence of bulbifera. Distribution of these four species has been recorded and their conventional modes of consumption examiend pueraria tubers can be consumed even without cooking whereas D.belophylla tubers and curalluma can be eaten after cooking in ordinary way. D.bulbifera needs Some preparation prior to consumption. Chemical analysis shows curalluma to be a rich source of Vitamin C, calcium and iron, Dioscoreas compare favourably with potato, sweet potato and tapioca in starch content,pueraria is a moderate source of calcium, iron and carbohydrates.

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma

Abstract

An ecological study of Calligonum polygonoides Linn. Has been described. The plant is a dominant shrub of the area. It has a better growth when growing in dune lows. This is followed by the sandy plains. Dune tops appeared to be comparatively unfavourable habitats. Distribution of the species has been given and the associates listed. The plant grows in coarse, sandy and alkaline soil. Results of soil analysis have been given to show the amount and behaviour of different cations at various depths. Root studies show that the plant has got very little branching. However, the proportion of ischolar_main to shoot is considerable. Foliar analysis reveals that the plant is poor in minerals. An attempt has been made to determine the relationship between the mineral content of the leaves and quantity of available nutrients. It has been found that foliar sodium and phosphorus increase with a corresponding increase in the soil in these elements.

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma

Abstract

Carbon/Nitrogen ratio of soils with respect to certain communities of Churu in Rajasthan has been discussed in the paper. Thirty soil samples each from the surface and 15 cm depth from sandy plains, dunes and depressions were examined for pH, organic carbon and nitrogen content. The Investigation reveals that the soils are alkaline with organic carbon ranging from 0.06 to 0.81 per cent and nitrogen from 0.003 to 0.336 per cent. The Carbon/Nitrogen ratio is quite narrow (0.57 to 4.54) in Aerva-Leptadenia and Cenchrus-Laptadenia communities. A wider ratio (4.16 to 64.28) was observed in Prosopisna dactylactenium community. However, in most of the cases the ratio varied from 0.31 to 11.9.

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma

Abstract

Root systems of six species, viz., Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng., Calligonum polygonoides Linn., Calotropis procera R. Br., Cenchrus biflorus Roxb., Prosopis spicigera Linn. and Tephrosia purpurea Pers. Were studied both on sandy plain and sand dunes. The study reveals that the plants usually develop long ischolar_main systems which tap moisture from the deeper zones of the soil. Further the laterals spread freely since the vegetation is open and competition among the ischolar_mains is minimum. All the plants possessed tap ischolar_mains except Cenchrus biflorus Roxb. Which had the fibrous ischolar_main system. The plants which had very little branching included Calotropis procera R. Br. On plains and Calligonum polygonoides Linn. On dunes and plains. The proportion of ischolar_main to shoot is very large in all the cases except Cenchyus biflorus Roxb. A maximum water content was observed in the ischolar_mains of Calotropis procera R. Br., Cenchrus biflorus Roxb. And Aera javanica (Bunn.f.) Spreng.

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma

Abstract

The nutrient status of the desert soils under certain plant communities of Churu, Rajasthan was determined. Nitrogen was found to vary from 0.003 to 0.336 per cent but in most of the cases it was higher at the surface. The available phosphorus ranged from 0.0625 to 0.1124 m.e. per cent. No correlation could be established between the phosphorus content and depth. The exchangeable potassium varied from 0.89 to 4.74 m.e. per cent and in most of the profiles it increased with depth. Calotropis-Calligonum community has soils richer in phosphorus and potassium, while the soils of Cenchrus-Leptadenia are richer in phosphorus and nitrogen.

Full Text

     

B. M. Sharma

Abstract

The present paper deals with the phytosocilogical studies on the vegetation of sand dunes around Sikar, RaJasthan. Five plant communities have been recognized in the various localities during the rainy season. The phytosocilogical characters with reference to the frequency, density, abundance and periodicity have been given.

Full Text