Assessment of Chick pea (Cicer arietinum L.) Productivity and its Cost Benefit Ratio under Acacia ampliceps Shelterbelt System in River Nile State (Sudan)

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Elmukabrab scheme which lies between latitudes 17o26’ and 17o35’N and longitudes 33o57’ and 34o08’E, about 10 km south east of Ed Damer town in River Nile State, to evaluate the effects of heavy pruned Acacia ampliceps shelterbelts grown in rows of five-meter-wide between hedge rows and three meter spaces between trees, on growth and yield of chickpea with an additional economic evaluation analysis of shelterbelt trees and crop yield production. The trials were established under field condition, semi-desert climatic zone during two consecutive winter seasons 2012/13 and 2013/14. Soil was of low nitrogen and organic matter. Treatments consisted of chickpea plots under Acacia ampliceps shelterbelts, heavily pruned with light intensity of about 60 to 70% compared to control (light intensity 100%) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates the plot size was 6×5 m. Heavy pruning was done by cutting all branches at 3 to 3.5 m above ground level of the main stem and one third of the tree canopy to increase incoming radiation which is measured by solar meter in the two different seasons compared to the control. Chick pea grain yield under heavy pruned shelterbelt was significantly increased by 15% and 13% compared to the control in first and second seasons, respectively. Economic analysis showed that the net profit of chickpea under heavy pruned shelterbelt trees was higher in the two seasons compared to the control, these were (2569 and 3308 SDG), while the control were (1610, 2190 SDG) in first and second seasons, respectively. Cost benefit ratio of the shelterbelt trees and chickpea grown under shelterbelt system greater in second season compared to the first.