Genda Singh , Sahadev Chouhan , T. R. Rathod

Abstract

Socio-economic and floral diversity survey in some selected villages of Bikaner area of Indian Desert was done in December 2001 with a view to assess the relationship between vegetation and socio-economic status and suggest management strategy in the area. The area had low floral diversity whereas agriculture and livestock rearing were the main resources of livelihood. Livestock to human population ratio was 1.5 with a total annual requirements of fodder and fuelwood were 0.11 lakhs tonnes and 3905.50 tonnes, respectively, though the people are also using animal dung at the rate of 1163.96 tonnes in these villages. This caused over-exploitation of existing vegetations, which are less both in number and abundance. P. cineraria and T. undulata are trees and Z. mauritiana is shrub of irrigated agricultural land. These species along with C. polygonoides, L. sindicus and C. jwarancusa are decreasing in the area as a result of their removal to cultivate cash crops like A. hypogea and R. communis in agriculture land and over-grazing/over-exploitation in forest lands and CARs. The removal and overexploitation of vegetations are resulting in land degradation and encroachment of more adaptable and less values species like P. juliflora, L. pyrotechnica, A. pseudotomentosa, C. burhia, D. sindicum and A. hyrsticula in the forest and CARs areas. Hence protection and conservation of natural vegetation are needed to enhance plant diversity and productivity in the area. The improvement in land status and productivity of common property resources through afforestation and resource management would influence the economy and the living standard of these desert dwellers without deteriorating land resources.

Keywords

Indian Desert, Vegetation Diversity, Socio-economic Profile

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Genda Singh

Abstract

Soils of the dry regions have low capacity to sequester carbon. The large extent of such areas may be important in its potential to sequester more carbon and act as carbon sink. An eight-year study was carried out on soil organic carbon dynamics and was related with three years litter dynamics study in Emblica officinalis, Hardwickia binata and Colophospermum mopane based agroforestry systems. Half of the area was cultivated under fixed crop of Vigna radiata and the other half under rotational crop oflegume rotated by non-legume. In addition, there was a control plot under tillage. Soil carbon content decreased with time in control plot with a loss of SOC by 56% during the study period. However, integration of trees allowed a loss of SOC only by 3.2% in E. officinalis, 22% in H. binata and 35.5% in C. mopane plots, indicating greater sequestration of carbon in E. officinalis plot and least in C. mopane plot. The study suggests that integration of tree in agricultural land is an important strategy to sequester carbon not only in the form of biomass but also in soil and may therefore maintain soil productivity.

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Genda Singh , G. N. Gupta

Abstract

The Indian arid zone, which covers mainly the States of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana, was surveyed for the physical and biological benefits of the prevailing living barriers. These living barriers are generally raised to demarcate boundaries of agricultural field and to protect home yards or agricultural crops/or newly planted seedlings from dODilestic as well as wild animals. It controls runoff, facilitates the infiltration of rain water to the soil, conserve moisture and increase the production of agricultural crops. The fodder and fuel demands are also fulfilled by some of the species viz., Zizyphus sp. Prosopis julij1ora, Calligonum polygonoides, Clerodendron f1omoides, Lycium barbarum, etc. The most important benefit ofliving barriers is microclimate amelioration, particularly they moderate the hard climate. The important genera involved for the erection of living barriers are Euphorbia, Opuntia, Prosopis and Acacia. Some others are L. barbarum, C. f1omoides, B. aegiptiaca, M. emarginata, Ipomoea sp. etc. All these species have various multipurpose uses and can be generated either by direct seed sowing or by planting cuttings or nursery raised seedlings.

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Genda Singh , Bilas Singh

Abstract

About 80% areas of common pasturelands in arid and semi-arid tract of Rajasthan is extremely low productive because of excessive grazing, soil erosion and land degradation. To enhance fodder production and conserve soil moisture C. setigerus grass was sown and trees seedlings of Acacia tortilis, Acacia Senegal, Acacia nilotica, Butea monosperma, Zizyphus mauritiana, Pithecolobium dulce, Prosopis cineraria and Acacia leucophloea were planted in July 2002 at 76 community pastureland covering 2545 ha area in Bhilwara district, Rajasthan. Reseeding of these pasturelands with C. setigerus alongwith plantation of tree seedlings under contour furrow/V-ditch soil and water conservation measures enhanced the productivity of these lands. Growth andbiomass production of C. setigerus varied widely and followed the pattern of rainfall. Effect of soil depended upon suitability of conservation measures adopted, whereas interferences of livestock affected grass production negatively. Naturally growing tree, shrubs, herb and grasses added to increase carrying capacity of these pasturelands. Adoption silvipastoral activities enhanced fodder production and vegetation cover.

Keywords

Cenchrus setigerus, Biomass, Silvipastoral, Pastureland, Fodder production, Soil moisture

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Genda Singh , S. P. Tripathi

Abstract

Observations were made on 52 month old Teak plantation on a private company land at Bhavnagar planted along the western side of Eucalyptus tereticornis shelterbelt. The growth of Teak plants showed that the shelterbelt of E. tereticornis of average growth parameters of 20.6 m height 21.3 cm dbh and 28.1 cm collar diameter, affect the growth of Teak plants upto a distance of 180 m. Teak maintained the maximum average growth data of 9.2 m height, 10.2 cm dbh and 14.0 cm collar diameter in open area. The maximum reduction in growth parameters as observed in the first row of plants at 4.0 m from shelterbelt viz., 48.9% in height, 61.8% in dbh and 50.7% in collar diameter in comparison to the plants in open area. The concentration of per cent organic matter, available nitrogen, extractable cations viz., Ca, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Co were significantly higher and K and Mg were slightly lower in plantation area than in agricultural field. However, the concentration of the cations were lowest near the shelterbelt (0.5 m) and highest at 4.0 m distance from the shelterbelt. Thus it showed that nutrient availability in general and light in particular accounted for the poor growth of Teak plants beneath the canopy of shelterbelt.

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Genda Singh , Nirmalya Bala , Chandan Singh Purohit

Abstract

no abstract

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