EFFECT OF IN-SITU MOISTURE CONSERVATION ON PLANT GROWTH AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE IN AONLA (Emblica officinalis GAERTN) IN SLOPPY DEGRADED LANDS

A field experiment was conducted in Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Deendayal Research Institute, Satna for two consecutive years to evaluate the effect of various in- situ moisture conservation measures on establishment and growth of aonla in sloppy degraded lands.In-situ moisture conservation measures included for the study were preparation of circular ring basin + mulching the basin with black polythene, staggered contour trenching 45 cm width and 3 m length) on upper side of the plant basin, placement of one sub merged pitcher in one side of the plant for rainwater harvesting, setting the seedling in a depression of 1 m width and 15 cm deep,surrounded by a ring-shaped ridge with 25 cm width and 15 cm height and a 30 cm opening on the higher side to harvest rainwater + filling the depression with straw + mulching with black polythene and control (no micro- catchment or mulch). The data on growth parameters (scion shoot length and diameter; number of branchlet, number of leaves, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots) and nutrient content of leaves of budlings under the five treatments were recorded. The results revealed that planting one month old polythene raised seedlings in a pit depression of 1 m width and 15 cm deep, surrounded by a ring-shaped ridge with 25 cm width and 15 cm height and a 30 cm opening on the higher side to harvest rainwater and filling the depression with straw and covering the pit with black polythene and performing patch budding next year during end of June, which resulted in maximum budling growth, and nutrients uptake observed to be the best in- situ moisture conservation method and may be recommended for rehabilitation of degraded sloppy lands.