Agri-horticulture system
Agri-horticulture system is a form of agroforestry in
which the fruit trees/vegetables are grown with crops. Intercropping of vegetables
in the initial growth stages in the interspaces of fruit trees is a profitable
venture. Most of the fruit plants develop full canopy after several years and
some of them require regular pruning thus permitting an intercrop. Specifically
for the period when crops are not grown, during the off-season, the system helps
to generate more employment. Economic return from this system is more as
compared to sole cropping system.
Custard apple, aonla, ber, citrus are some examples of suitable fruit trees. Peas, beans, cauliflower, cabbage are some
examples of vegetables grown well in the agri-horticultural system. The crops
like horse gram, cluster bean, green gram, black gram, cowpea, groundnut are grown
with tree crops like custard apple, ber, guava grown with the spacing of 5-6 m
and mango, jamun, aonla are grown with 8-10 m.