Wheat Yields Under the Canopies of Faidherbiaalbida (Delile) A. Chev and Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayenin Park Land Agroforestry System in Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Faidherbiaalbida and Acatiatortilis on the grain yield and above ground biomass of wheat. Parkland agroforestry system is, type of agroforestry where trees are deliberately retained on the crop land to improve soil fertility. Farm land of the study area is characterized by parkland agroforestry system. Farmers have different idea about the trees retained on their farm, some of them think that, these trees can help us for farm tools and fencing material while; others retained trees on the crop land for the purpose of fertility substitution. Therefore, the study was conducted to identify the effect of both trees on wheat growth. The study was conducted in central rift valley of Ethiopia, Oromia regional state, East shoa, at Langano and Tukakebeles in farm fields of Bora District where, both trees aretraditionally retained on the farm. At each site, four F. albida and four A.tortilis trees were purposively selected and wheat sample collected from four directions at three distances (1.35, 3.35 and 26.35 m) from tree trunk for both gain yield and above ground bio mass. Collected data was analyzed by two way ANOVA and mean separation with LSD (%). The Highest values of wheat grain yield were 73.33 and 68.85 kg ha-1 under F. albida and A.tortilis respectively at the distance of 1.35 m away from the6yuh tree trunks at Tuka location and these values decreased to 55.36 and 67.36 kg ha-1 under F. albida and A.tortilis respectively, at the distance of 26.35 m away from the tree trunks. The mean biomass recorded at three different distances from the two tree trunks, were not differently significant statistically (p >0.05). In general, the result of analysis indicated that, decreasing pattern of mean biomass as distance from tree trunk increases, for both Faidherbiaalbida and Acacia tortilis. The research finding showed that trees have positive relation with grain yield and above ground biomass of wheat. So, farmer’s knowledge improvement and further research regarding tree age class should be conducted for improvement of this agroforestry system.