Performances of Lepidium sativum under peach based Horti medicinal system agroforestry

The present investigation entitled ‘Performance of Lepidium sativum under peach based medicinal agroforestry system’ was carryout in the field of peach block Department of Fruit Science and field of medicinal and aromatic plants, Department of Forest products, Dr. YSP UHF Nauni, Solan. (HP) during 2016 to 2018. Lepidium sativum commonly known as Chandrshoor is a medicinal plant. The traditional agroforestry systems in the Himachal Pradesh have shown that farmers are aware of the benefits of mixed cultures. Mid hills are the bowl of stone fruits and peach is one of the important stone fruit of Himachal Pradesh. The experiment composed with 9 treatments as Peach + Lepidium sativum + FYM 2t/ha., Peach + Lepidium sativum + FYM 4t/ha., Peach + Lepidium sativum + Vermicompost 2t/ha, Peach + Lepidium sativum + Vermicompost 4t/ha, Peach + Lepidium sativum + Jivamarutha 500 l/ha, Peach + Lepidium sativum + RDF (60:30:30 kg/ha NPK), Peach + Lepidium sativum, Lepidium sativum + RDF (60:30:30 kg/ha NPK) and Lepidium sativum. From the experiments results Vermicompost @ 4t/ha was the most effective dose of organic manure, Lepidium sativum maximum straw yield (13.74 q/ha and11.20 q/ha) and seed yield per plant (2.98 g and 2.37 g) and seed yield (9.93 q/ha and 7.90 q/ha) was recorded in T6 (Peach + Lepidium sativum + RDF NPK 60:30:30 kg/ha) during both the years. The maximum cost of cultivation (Rs. 1, 17, 624.2 /ha and Rs. 1, 16, 124.2 /ha) was recorded in vermicompost (4t/ha), where Lepidium sativum was grown under peach tree. Maximum net return (Rs. 1, 52, 166/ha and Rs. 1, 27, 556 /ha) was obtained in T6 (Peach + Lepidium sativum + RDF NPK 60:30:30 kg/ha). Highest B:C ratio (2.46) and (2.12) was found under peach tree during both the years. The results obtained from the present investigations showed that the performance of Lepidium sativum was well under horti medicinal system of agroforestry as compared to sole crop. The growth, yield and physiological attributes of medicinal herbs were not adversely affected by the presence of peach tree.