Alley Cropping System in Degraded Land of Central India: Evaluation of Crop Performance, Economic Benefit and Soil Nutrients Availability

Hedgerow or alley cropping is being advocated for sustainable land productivity and improved soil health in the developing world. The suitable food-fodder species grown on bed and furrow system with soil moisture conservation practices need to be adopted for the success of alley cropping under rainfed semi-arid region. A field experiment was conducted during 2013–2016 to assess different food-fodder based alley cropping systems with resource conservation practices (RCP) for enhancing productivity, economic returns and energetics. The perennial Pennisetum tri-specific hybrid (TSH) grass and legume shrubs were planted on a raised bed of 1.5 m wide. One row of shrub was planted in the middle of the bed along with two rows of TSH grass on both side of the shrub row. The seasonal crops were grown in furrow (2.2 m) placed between two beds (1.5 m). In RCP, one supplement irrigation treatments to crops were given i.e. one pre-sowing irrigation ( rabi ) + other irrigation as per theoretical calculation i.e. 30% of total rainfall—ET losses. In-situ moisture conservation practices include residue retention (stubble height 15 cm + mulching (green weed biomass + litterfall) in furrows. The result indicates that among woody perennials, Sesbania sesban as a hedgerow was superior to Desmanthus virgatus but found at par with Leucaena leucocephala in terms of DM production. Furthermore, TSH grass grown on the side of woody legumes produced about 15–20 Mg DM ha −1 across the treatment per year. The grain yield of the annual crops was in the order of barley > chickpea > pigeonpea across the years and not significantly influenced by perennial components. The highest system productivity (112.2 Mg ha −1 ) was found under TSH + S. sesban + (sorghum + cowpea–barley) cropping systems leading to higher net monetary returns (US$ 1430 ha −1 ). While alley cropping with sorghum + pigeonpea was the lowest yielder. Among resource conservation practices, one supplement irrigation and in-situ soil moisture conservation treatments were comparable and produced about 12–14% higher yield than control. The TSH + S. sesban + (sorghum + cowpea–barley) cropping system accumulated highest bio-energy (497 GJ ha −1 ) but maximum value of energy use efficiency was computed in TSH + Sesbania + (sorghum + pigeonpea). The soil organic carbon was enhanced substantially under 4 years of hedgerow systems over antecedent level. Findings of this study suggest that TSH + S. sesban hedgerow system grown in bed with seasonal crops (sorghum + cowpea–chickpea) in furrow could improve food and fodder production, ensure green fodder availability during dry season and sustain natural resources in rainfed semi-arid agro-ecologies.