Bioeconomic Appraisal of Flowering Annuals for Seed Production under Poplar (<i>Populus deltoides</i>) Based Agroforestry System

To make the poplar ( Populus deltoids ) based agroforestry systems economically more profitable, twelve winter flower annuals under three environmental conditions (open, under 3 and 4 year old poplar canopy) with four replications in split-split plot design were evaluated. Results of the study revealed that yield and other parameters of flowering annuals were low in crops that were in association with poplar than in open environmental condition. Among the crops studied, Coreopsis tinctoria , Coreopsis lanceolata , Phlox drumondii and Gaillardia pulchelia showed better performance than the other crops in both conditions. The poplar growth parameters such as tree height, diameter at breast height, crown spread, crown height and tree volume/fresh weight showed better performance under agroforestry plantation than without inter-cultivation. Benefit-cost ratio of growing flowers for seed production ranged from 1.15 to 5.31 under three year old poplar canopy and 1.68 to 5.51 in open environment. The corresponding values were 1.12 to 5.17 and 1.40 to 5.37 for four year old poplar canopy and open environment. In comparison to traditionally grown wheat crop, flower annuals were found profitable under poplar canopy as well as in open environment. Key words: Benefit-cost ratio; Poplar seed production; Wheat; Winter flower annuals DOI: 10.4038/tar.v22i2.2821 Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 22 (2): 125 - 133 (2011)