Maximizing the productivity, economic gain, and soil fertility of guava (Psidium guajava)-based agroforestry system

The present study was conducted during 2023–2024 at ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi with the objectives of evaluating the yield, yield attributes, and economics of different intercrops (barley, wheat, and chickpea) grown under guava-based agroforestry and their effects on soil physico-chemical properties in comparison with conventional sole cropping. Yield attributes of crops were recorded significantly higher under sole cropping than in guava-based agroforestry. Biological yield (9,069, 9,310, and 3,197 kg/ha) and harvest index (44.43, 44.37 and 43.93%) was also observed maximum under sole cropping than under agroforestry systems (7,578, 8,235 and 2,497 kg/ha) and (43.44, 44.09 and 40.85%) for barley, wheat and chickpea, respectively while the system productivity for guava-based agroforestry ranged between 77.80-99.72% higher over the sole cropping. Wheat equivalent yield (WEY) was recorded maximum for guava + wheat agroforestry. Guava-based agroforestry systems significantly improved soil physico-chemical properties including OC, N, P, and K availability over the sole cropping. Gross return (`196.54 thousand/ha) as well as net return (`154.87 thousand/ha) were found maximum for the guava + wheat-based agroforestry system. However, Guava + barley agroforestry exhibited the highest B: C ratio of 3.83 while guava + wheat agroforestry showed the maximum land equivalent ratio (1.81).