Innovations in Dryland Agriculture

361

Table 5

Promising plant species for dryland systems in India

Country

Zone

System

Promising speciesForestry plants

Fruit plants

Crops/grasses/shrubs

India

Arid

Agri-silviculture

a

Khejri (

Prosopis cineraria

L.

Druce.), Desert Teak

, Anjan

(Hardiwickia binata

Roxb.) and Wild

Jujube

Indian Plum (

Ziziphus

mauritiana

Lamk.) and

Date Palm (

Phoenix

dactylifera

L.)

Crops: Mung bean (

Vigna radiata

),

Moth bean (

Vigna aconitifolia

Jacq) Marechal), Cowpea (

Vigna

unguiculata

L.

Walp), Cluster bean

(Cyamopsis tetragonoloba

L.

Taub), Pearl millet and Sesame

Silvi-pasture

a

Mopane

, Jujube and Anjan

Caper (

Capparis decidua

Forssk. Edgew), Indian Plum and Khejri

Grasses: Buffel grass

,irdwood grass

(Cenchrus setigerus

Vahl.) Sewan

grass and Marvel grass (Dicanthium annulatum

Forsk.

Stapf.)

Shelterbelts

a

Umbrella thorn, Kassod tree (

Cassia

siamea

Lamarck Irwin et Barneby),

Mesquite

, Siris and Neem

(Azadirachta indica

A.

Juss.)

• 
  


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Semiarid

Agri-silviculture

a

Babul

, Tree of Heaven (

Ailanthus

excelsa

Roxb.)

, Sissoo

, Khejri

,^

Cottonwood (

Populus deltoides

Bartr.)

and Anjan

Indian plum, Mango (Mangifera indica

L.),

Guava, Citrus, Amla and Bael (

Aegle marmelos

L.

Correa)

Crops: Pearl millet, Sorghum, Cluster bean, Pigeon pea, Cowpea, Mung bean, Sesame and Groundnut

Silvi-pasture

a

Babul, Sissoo, Khejri and White Bark Acacia (

Acacia leucophloea

Roxb.

Willd.)

• 
  

Seasonal grasses: Rat's tail grass (Sehima nervosum

Rottl. Stapf.)

,^

Blue Panic grass (

Panicum

antidotale

Retz.) and Buffel grass

Farm boundary

a

Babul,

Eucalyptus

spp

. Cottonwood,

Butter tree (

Madhuca latifolia

Roxb.)

and Sissoo

• 
  


• 
  

(continued)

Dryland Agriculture in South Asia: Experiences, Challenges and Opportunities