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Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Supplementary Biomass Addition Enhances the Crop Productivity: Evidence from a Gliricidia sepium - Based Alley Cropping Practices in Gazipur District of Bangladesh

Abu Syed Md. Jobaydul Alam,  Satya Ranjan Saha,  Md. Suhag*,  Md. Giashuddin Miah,  Md. Mizanur Rahman,  Md. Rafiqul Islam,  Zabid Al Riyadh,  Apple Mahmud
Published in American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 13, Issue 1)
Received: 23 January 2025     Accepted: 5 February 2025     Published: 20 February 2025
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Abstract

Two consecutive experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of alley cropping practices on the productivity of cauliflower during the winter season of 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. An eleven-year-old G. sepium-established alley cropping field was used as the experimental site located in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh. The experiments were done using a split-plot design. Three alley widths of G. sepium viz. W3.0, W4.5, and W6.0 (3.0 m, 4.5 m, and 6.0 m) comprised factor A, the main plot factor. Within each main plot, five nitrogen (N) doses namely N0, N25, N50, N75, and N100 contributed the five levels of factor B (sub-plot factor) each replicated thrice. Control plots received allied N doses without pruned biomass to facilitate comparison with the alley cropping. The data from the two seasons on cauliflower were subjected to pooled analysis using R-statistics. Results revealed that, growth and yield attributes of cauliflower thrived in all the alley cropping plots compared to control (absence of tree), and increased along with the increase in applied N. Further, we assessed what combinations of alley width and N level provide the highest yield and found that, W6.0×N100 treatment combination yielded the highest cauliflower yield (33.55 t ha‒1) which was statistically equivalent to the yields of W6.0×N75 and W6.0×N50 combinations. It was also observed that all the alley cropped plots given higher economic benefit compared to control, specifically with the first three highest Benefit-to-Cost Ratios (BCRs) calculated in W6.0×N100 (3.27), W6.0×N50 (3.23), and in W6.0×N75 (3.21) treatment combinations. The outcome suggests that using pruned materials can be a viable alternative to enhance crop productivity, profitability and reduce the reliance on nitrogenous fertilizer.

Published in American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 13, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15
Page(s) 38-48
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group
Previous article
Keywords

Alley Cropping, Benefit Cost Ratio, Cauliflower, Gliricidia sepium, Pruned Biomass

1. Introduction
Bangladesh is a small deltaic nation with a predominantly agrarian economy which harbors a tremendous population of 169.83 million with an arable land of 8.09 million hectares
[1, 2]
. Shockingly, development projects such as housing for the growing population, the establishment of new industries, and infrastructure are collectively leading to the gradual reduction of cultivable land
[3]
. To feed the ever increasing population, farmers are compelled to practice intensive agriculture on their limited land resources and consequently, soil fertility is diminishing rapidly with simultaneous reduction of crop yields. It is well known that organic matter (OM) is the storehouse of plant nutrients and the soil necessitates an amount of 2.5% OM but unfortunately, most of the soils of Bangladesh are deficient in organic matter which is around 0.5-1.15%
[4]
. Additionally, the climate change and environmental pollutions have created a dilemma for the sustainable agriculture. In spite of enormous challenges, viable farming practices should be looked up and adopted to address the above-mentioned facts. Many farming techniques have been emerged to resolve the problems of crop productivity and soil environment; of which, agroforestry may be a good choice to guarantee sustainable production and get past upcoming obstacles
[5]
.
The practice of integrating trees with crops or vegetables on the same plot of land, known as agroforestry, involves growing annual crops alongside woody perennials in a way that maintains a balanced spatial and temporal arrangement. It offers a solid ecological foundation for improving the systems overall productivity, soil fertility, and agricultural communities' socioeconomic conditions
[6, 7]
. Alley cropping, which incorporates leguminous tree species into cropping systems, is a beneficial method among different agroforestry systems
[8]
. In this approach, tree legumes regularly cut down to minimize competition with crops, and pruned materials are added to the soil to enhance its physico-chemical qualities, which in turn increase crop yield. Alley cropping techniques employ a variety of legume species, including Gliricidia sepium, Indigofera tysmanii, Senna siamea, Leucaena leucocephala, Cassia siamea, Cajanus cajan, and others, with Gliricidia sepium being the most appropriate one
[9-12]
. It’s a multifunctional, fast-growing tree species that sequestrate carbon, fixes nitrogen, conserves soil, enhances soil health, recycle nutrients, and thrives in a variety of soil types, ranging acidic to alkaline
[13, 14]
. The biomass is rich in minerals and recognized to be effective in improving soil health
[15]
.
According to a number of studies, the use of G. sepium tree legume in cropping systems improved soil health, including soil minerals, organic matter, and beneficial soil microbes
[16-18]
. Besides, it is evident that cotton, soybean, maize, groundnut, and tomato etc. thrive when cultivated alongside this particular legume species
[19-21]
; but still the utilization of this species is limited in Bangladesh, and demanding further research to determine its usefulness. In Bangladesh, a large variety of vegetables are cultivated, with approximately 70% of them are grown in winter
[22]
, and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) is the most important nutritious one, as its curd is the richest source of B vitamins, vitamin A, C, E and minerals like Ca, Fe and Iodine
[23, 24]
. Additionally, it has adequate levels of dietary fiber, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which may help prevent a number of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, immunological dysfunction, age-related macular degeneration, obesity, and some types of cancer
[25, 26]
. Fascinatingly, the consumption of vegetables has increased in Bangladesh, but the yield of cauliflower per unit area is quite low compared to other affluent nations; and out of many reasons, nutrient supply is the most limiting factor.
The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the growth and yield of cauliflower cultivated in different alley widths of G. sepium, combined with varying nitrogen levels, building upon the nutritional significance and cultivation practices of cauliflower as outlined.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Geographical and Climatic Description of the Study Area
An established alley cropping field of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur, Bangladesh was used for the completion of present experiment. The study site is located at 8.5 meters above sea level under the Madhupur Tract (Agroecological zone-28) which is presented in Figure 1. The experiment was set up on the soil under Salna Series, characterized as shallow red-brown terrace soil
[27]
. Two consecutive experiments were conducted during the winter seasons (November-February) of 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. The study site has a subtropical climate with mild-winter and summer. The mean monthly air temperature ranging from 16.9°C to 23.8°C and humidity levels between 80.56-90.62% during the cropping seasons. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 2031.14 millimeter (mm) with heavy rainfall predominantly occurring in July-August.
Figure 1. Location of the study area.
2.2. Establishment of Alley Cropping Field and Pruning of G. sepium Legumes
In September 2005, G. sepium tree seedlings were planted into the experimental field, keeping a 50 centimeters (cm) gap between trees in each row. Each seedling was fertilized with 2 Kg cowdung, 20 g TSP, and 10 g MoP fertilizers, alongside the implementation of suitable management practices to facilitate the proper establishment of the hedgerow. Therefore, in this study, an eleven-year-old G. sepium alley field was chosen. Pruning was carried out on the 2nd of October, 2016 for the first season trial and the 7th of October, 2017 for the second season in order to incorporate the fresh green biomass of G. sepium into the soil in various alleyways. With the aid of a rotavator and disc plow, the harvested pruned materials were spread out into the soil between the alleys of varying widths and thoroughly mixed with the soil. Table 1 showing the quantity of trimmed materials collected from various alley widths during the two studies. Irrigation was provided to facilitate the complete breakdown of biomass, thereby ensuring the release and integration of nutrients into the soil, ultimately enhancing the fertility status of the plots.
Table 1. Pruned materials obtained from different alley widths of Gliricidia sepium during the cropping seasons of 2017 and 2018.

Alley width

Fresh biomass (t ha‒1)

2016-2017

2017-2018

3.0 m

12.55

11.95

4.5 m

8.66

8.19

6.0 m

6.65

6.09
2.3. Experimental Design and Treatments
The field experiment on cauliflower in the alley cropping system was conducted using a split-plot design with three replications. The main plot treatments included three different alley widths viz. W3.0, W4.5, and W6.0 (3.0 m, 4.5 m, and 6.0 m) and sub-plot treatments comprised five different N doses such as N0, N25, N50, N75, and N100 (representing 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the recommended N dose plus fresh biomass from G. sepium). Besides, control plots (without tree) were arranged to receive identical inorganic N doses without pruned biomass. Initially, 15 unit plots were created for each alley and control area, taking into account the five distinct nitrogen levels with three replications. As a result, there were 60 unit plots in the current study. The total area of each unit plot was 3.0 × 5.0 m, 4.5 × 5.0 m, and 6.0 × 5.0 m for 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 m alleys, respectively, as each unit plot was 5.0 m long. The individual control plot had dimensions of 3.0 x 5.0 m. The experiment used Snow White, a prominent variety of Cauliflower from ACI Seed Ltd. as a test crop.
2.4. Field Preparation and Crop Husbandry of Cauliflower
The experimental plots between two tree rows (i.e., alleys) were expertly prepared by harrowing, laddering, and plowing with a small tractor. The field was thoroughly prepped after all the chaff and weeds were eliminated. On October 14, 2016 and October 20, 2017, seeds were sown in seedbed and raised for thirty days’. Seedlings were moved and transplanted in a 60 × 60 cm spacing into the main field on November 12, 2016 for the first season and on November 18, 2017 for the second season trial. In the experimental plots, fertilizers were provided at the following rates: 150 Kilogram per Hectare (Kg ha–1) of urea, 150 Kg ha–1 of triple superphosphate (TSP), 120 Kg ha–1 of muriate of potash (MoP), 100 Kg ha–1 of gypsum, and 3 Kg ha–1 of boric acid
[28]
. At the time of final land preparation, the full amount of gypsum, TSP, and boric acid was applied. At 15 and 35 days after transplanting (DAT), the crops received the MoP fertilizer at two equal installments. As the top dressing in both seasons, urea was given to the crop in two equal installments at 15 and 35 DAT in accordance with the experimental treatments. In both experiments, weeding was done three times at 15, 35, and 50 DAT. Five days after transplanting, first irrigation was provided using a suitable hose pipe, which was continued based on the crops' needs. Regular steps were taken to manage diseases and pests.
2.5. Growth and Yield Attributes of Cauliflower
Curd diameter, curd length, marketable curd weight, and cauliflower yield were measured at 90 days after transplanting in order to evaluate the growth and yield of cauliflower. Ten plants were chosen at random and taken from each unit plot in accordance with treatments to be considered as one replication in order to reduce error.
2.6. Economic Analysis
Cost of production: Initial planting expenses, labor costs, mechanical power costs, material costs (fertilizer, pesticides, seed, manures etc.), cost of land usage, management costs, and interest on used capital were used to determine the total cost of production ha–1.
Gross return: Cauliflower's gross return ha–1 was calculated by multiplying the entire production by the corresponding market prices.
Net return: Net return was calculated by deducting the total cost of production from the gross return.
Benefit cost ratio (BCR): BCR, which is computed using the following formula, is the ratio of gross return to total cost of production.
BCR = Gross return (Tkha–1) ÷ Total cost of production (Tkha–1).
2.7. Statistical Analysis
With the use of the software program "Statistix 10.0" and Microsoft Excel, the experimental data were statistically examined using the two-way "Analysis of Variance" (ANOVA) technique in order to look for significant differences in the outcomes caused by various treatments. In order to interpret the data, Tukey's HSD test was used to assess the mean differences between the treatment combinations at 5% level of probability. The R-Software package was used to perform a pooled analysis of two year’s data.
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Curd Diameter
Diameter of cauliflower curd was not varied significantly (p> 0.05) due to the effect of alley widths. However, it ranged from 15.36 cm to 17.68 cm being the highest in 3.0 m alley and lowest in control (Figure 2A). Though the values within the alley cropping were statistically insignificant, yet the curd diameter of cauliflower when grown in alleys were higher compared to the control which could be attributed to the greater nutrient availability in the alley plots as opposed to control. Nevertheless, different levels of nitrogen had significant effect (p< 0.05) on the curd diameter of cauliflower, which ranged from 15.16-18.36 cm. The N100 treatment provided the highest curd diameter (18.36 cm) which was statistically comparable to N75 and N50 treatments, while the lowest diameter of curd (15.16 cm) was recorded in N0 treatment (Figure 2B). The findings revealed that, diameter of curd has a strong positive correlation with N and increased with higher N doses.
Figure 2. Effect of alley widths (A) and N levels (B) on curd diameter of cauliflower at harvest (pooled over two years).
Distinct variation (p< 0.05) was noted as to the curd diameter of cauliflower due to the interaction effect of alley widths and N levels. The variation of curd diameter as observed to be very high that ranged from 8.47 cm to 24.11cm. The control plots receiving only the different N doses without pruned biomass exhibited the lower diameter of the cauliflower curd compared to alley cropping plots. The higher curd diameters were measured in all the alley cropping plots irrespective of the different alley widths. However, the maximum curd diameter (24.11 cm) was measured in W3.0×N100 treatment combination which was statistically identical with W3.0×N75, W4.5×N75, W4.5×N100, W6.0×N75, and W6.0×N100 treatment combinations (Table 2). In contrast, Control×N0 treatment combination measured the lowest curd diameter (8.47 cm). It was evident that the plots where green biomass were added, the curd diameter was observed to be increased with the increase in N level. Giri et al.
[29]
stated that, organic matter and adequate amount of N and P are needed to fulfill the crop requirements and desired crop harvest. Similar findings had also been reported by others
[30-32]
.
3.2. Curd Length
Analysis of variance revealed no significant variation (p> 0.05) on curd length due to the main effect of different alley widths. However, it ranged from 9.30 cm to 11.48 cm, being the highest in W3.0 and the lowest in control (Figure 3A). The curd length produced under alley cropping systems showed no statistical difference. However, an interesting observation was made during the cultivation of cauliflower in open fields without the addition of pruned materials (PM). In this scenario, the length of the curd was notably lower, possibly indicating a lack of nutrients in the control plots. Different N levels showed marked variation as regards to the length of cauliflower curd. The highest curd length was measured to be 11.50 cm found in N100 treatment followed by N75 and N50 treatments, and the lowest curd length (9.99 cm) was measured in N0 treatment (Figure 3B). It has been observed that, alike the curd diameter, curd length was gradually increased as the N doses were increased.
Figure 3. Effect of alley widths (A) and N levels (B) on curd length of cauliflower at harvest (pooled over two years).
There was a significant variation (p< 0.05) regarding the curd length of cauliflower attributed to the combined effect of alley widths and N levels. Among the treatment combinations, the curd length was found to be the highest (12.03 cm) in the treatment combination of W6.0×N100 which was closely followed by W4.5×N100, W6.0×N75, and W4.5×N75 treatment combinations (Table 2). Actually the curd lengths of nine treatment combinations were statistically at par which was almost 45% of the total treatment combinations. On the other hand, the lowest curd length was measured to be 8.47cm found in Control×N0 treatment combination. It is to be noted that the cauliflower produced in plots where only different N levels were applied but no PM was added had the lower curd lengths which varied from 8.47 cm to 9.92 cm. It was also observed that the curd lengths were higher in plots where PM was added in addition to the different N doses irrespective of the different alley widths.
Table 2. Interaction effect of alley widths and N levels on curd diameter, curd length, marketable curd weight, and yield of cauliflower at harvest (pooled over two years).

Treatment combinations

Curd diameter (cm)

Curd length (cm)

Marketable curd weight (Kg)

Yield (t ha‒1)

W3.0×N0

21.40cd

10.70de

1.64bc

26.26f

W3.0×N25

22.33bc

11.17bcd

1.71abc

27.30ef

W3.0×N50

23.33ab

11.67abc

1.85a

29.60cde

W3.0×N75

23.60a

11.80a

1.76ab

28.20c-f

W3.0×N100

24.11a

12.06a

1.85a

29.62cde

W4.5×N0

20.83d

10.42ef

1.55c

27.57def

W4.5×N25

22.26bc

11.13cd

1.73abc

30.71abc

W4.5×N50

23.33ab

11.67abc

1.69abc

30.05b-e

W4.5×N75

23.60a

11.80a

1.72abc

30.52a-d

W4.5×N100

24.00a

12.00a

1.73abc

30.81abc

W6.0×N0

20.73d

10.37ef

1.55c

28.93c-f

W6.0×N25

22.26bc

11.13cd

1.63bc

30.51a-d

W6.0×N50

23.40ab

11.70ab

1.75ab

32.74ab

W6.0×N75

23.66a

11.83a

1.75ab

32.73ab

W6.0×N100

24.06a

12.03a

1.80ab

33.55a

Control×N0

8.47f

8.47i

0.70d

11.12g

Control×N25

8.97ef

8.97hi

0.73d

11.74g

Control×N50

9.47ef

9.47gh

0.79d

12.72g

Control×N75

9.64ef

9.64g

0.80d

12.85g

Control×N100

9.92e

9.92fg

0.80d

12.85g

CV (%)

3.91

3.64

4.03

6.29
In each column, the level of significance among the treatment means were showed by small alphabetical letter(s) at a 5% level of probability by Tukey's HSD test.
Notably, in alley cropping system the curd length was found to be higher compared to the Control which is primarily attributed to the increased nutrient availability in soils of alley cropping due to PM incorporation. Besides, within the alley cropping plots, wider alley width performed better likely due to enhanced sunlight exposure, reduced tree-crop competition, and higher nitrogen availability to the crop. Ahmed et al.
[10]
discovered that the 75% N plus PM added treatment in G. sepium alley produced the longest head among the N levels plus PM added treatments and it was statistically comparable to the 100% and 50% N plus PM added treatments.
3.3. Marketable Curd Weight
Marketable curd weight of cauliflower was significantly (p< 0.05) influenced by the main effects of three different alley widths along with control. The highest curd weight (1.76 Kg) was estimated in 3.0 m alley width which was statistically comparable to the curd weights observed in the 4.5 and 6.0 m alley. Significantly, the lowest curd weight (0.77 Kg) was recorded in control (Figure 4A). It is to be noted that the different alley widths influenced the marketable curd weight of cauliflower and produced the curds weighing more than 1 Kg whereas, it was less than 1.00 Kg when grown in control plots. Meanwhile, the marketable curd weight of cauliflower when produced in different alley widths did not vary among themselves indicating the science that alley widths had the contribution to increase the curd weight as the alley width plots received the green biomass of the pruned materials compared to control plots. Statistically significant variation (p< 0.05) was noted regarding marketable curd weight of cauliflower due to the main effect of different N doses. Marketable curd weights of five N doses ranged from as low as 1.36 Kg in N0 to as high as 1.55 Kg in N100 treatment (Figure 4B). A general trend was observed that with the increase in the doses of nitrogen, higher marketable curd weights were obtained which indicated that N fertilizer plays a significant role in the plant growth of the cauliflower which had been reflected in this experiment.
Figure 4. Effect of alley widths (A) and N levels (B) on marketable curd weight of cauliflower at harvest (pooled over two years).
The combined effect of alley widths and N levels on curd weight was also found significant (p< 0.05). It differed from 0.70 Kg to 1.85 Kg; being the highest in W3.0×N100 treatment combination and the lowest in Control×N0 (Table 2). As like as other parameters, the marketable curd weight was also found lower in case of the control five treatments compared to the rest 15 treatment combinations with addition of green biomass. It is important to note that, the 11 different treatment combinations showed no significant differences in marketable curd weight among the 15 treatment combinations received the pruned materials and it was calculated to be 73.33% of the total treatment combinations. The findings revealed that, combined application of organic and inorganic N fertilizers successfully augmented the curd weight of cauliflower. The findings are in best agreement with Bozkurt et al.
[33]
.
3.4. Yield of Cauliflower
Cauliflower yield was significantly varied (p< 0.05) due to the main effect of alley widths, and ranged from 12.26-31.69 t ha‒1 (Figure 5A). The highest yield was calculated to be 31.69 t ha‒1 in 6.0 m alley width which was comparable to 4.5 m (29.93 t ha‒1) alley. Conversely, significantly the lowest cauliflower yield (12.26 t ha‒1) was obtained from control plot where pruned materials were not incorporated into the soil. It was observed that, cauliflower yield increased in a linear direction with the simultaneous increase in alley widths. The application of organic biomass in alley cropped plots increased the availability of macro and micro nutrients in the soil due to which the crop yield might have increased
[34]
. Besides, wide variation was seen in the yield of cauliflower with the variation of different N levels. The five different levels of N including control exhibited yields varying from 23.47 (t ha‒1) to 26.71 (t ha‒1). The highest yield (26.71 t ha‒1) was found in the N100 treatment swiftly followed by N75 and N50 treatments, and the lowest (23.47 t ha‒1) in control plots (Figure 5B).
Figure 5. Effect of alley widths (A) and N levels (B) on yield of cauliflower at harvest (pooled over two years).
The interaction effect of alley width and different N levels showed significant variation (p< 0.05) pertaining to the yield of cauliflower. In response to different treatment combinations, the highest yield (33.55 t ha‒1) was recorded in W6.0×N100 treatment combination which was swiftly followed by W6.0×N75, and W6.0×N50 treatment combinations (Table 2). In contrast, the lowest yield of cauliflower (11.12 t ha‒1) was calculated in Control×N0. The lower yields of the crop were found in the five different treatments where only N fertilizers of variable doses were applied and all of these were statistically at par. The higher yields were observed in the remaining 15 treatment combinations compared to the control five plots which might due to the combined addition of organic and inorganic nitrogen. Within the alley cropped plots, the yields were augmented with the increase in N levels irrespective of alley widths where along with N doses, the treatments also received the pruned materials before planting of the crop which ultimately improved the availability of soil nutrients. Different alley widths and nitrogen levels attained the level of significance for cauliflower production, with wider alleys and greater N levels performing favorably, according to the data provided on the yield of cauliflower. This might have occurred as a result of higher nutrients availability from added PM and increased nitrogen input via inorganic N fertilizer along with pruned biomass from G. sepium. Moreover, maximum number of cauliflower arrangement in the 6.0 m alley width augmented the per hectare yield of cauliflower compared to other alleys. As nitrogen is the necessary component of nucleic acid, it improved the plant's reproductive system, which in turn improved the yield-attributing characteristics and, ultimately, the yield of cauliflower
[35]
. The present findings are in best agreement with others specifically when cabbage, rice, tomato, brinjal, soybean, maize, cotton etc. were cultivated under G. sepium established alley cropping practices
[9, 20, 36, 37]
.
3.5. Economic Performance of Cauliflower
To determine the economic performance of cauliflower cultivated under different systems, net return and BCR were estimated (Table 3). The results showed that, 6.0 m alley width with 100% of recommended N plus pruned biomass added system provided the highest net return (466,000 Tk ha‒1) and BCR (3.27). Notably, it was found that all the alley cropping systems showed higher economic performances by generating higher net return and BCR compared to control. As the fifteen treatment combinations under alley cropping received pruned materials of G. sepium which increased the soil fertility and thus increased production resulting the higher economic return.
Table 3. Economics of cauliflower production under different production systems.

Treatment combinations

Cost of production (Tk ha‒1)

Gross return (Tk ha‒1)

Net return (Tk ha‒1)

Benefit Cost Ratio

W3.0×N0

200,000

525,200

325,200

2.63

W3.0×N25

201,250

546,000

344,750

2.71

W3.0×N50

202,500

592,000

389,500

2.92

W3.0×N75

203,750

564,000

360,250

2.77

W3.0×N100

205,000

592,400

387,400

2.89

W4.5×N0

200,000

551,400

351,400

2.76

W4.5×N25

201,250

614,200

412,950

3.05

W4.5×N50

202,500

601,000

398,500

2.97

W4.5×N75

203,750

610,400

406,650

2.99

W4.5×N100

205,000

616,200

411,200

3.01

W6.0×N0

200,000

578,600

378,600

2.89

W6.0×N25

201,250

610,200

408,950

3.03

W6.0×N50

202,500

654,800

452,300

3.23

W6.0×N75

203,750

654,600

450,850

3.21

W6.0×N100

205,000

671,000

466,000

3.27

Control×N0

200,000

222,400

22,400

1.11

Control×N25

201,250

234,800

33,550

1.17

Control×N50

202,500

254,400

51,900

1.26

Control×N75

203,750

257,000

53,250

1.26

Control×N100

205,000

257,000

52,000

1.25
Cauliflower price (Tk. 20 Kg‒1)
4. Conclusion
Alley cropping systems established with G. sepium showed a positive impact on cauliflower yield and yield attributes as compared to the control. The results demonstrated that the combined use of inorganic N along with green biomass from the G. sepium tree increased the yields of cauliflower. As a result, 90%, 75%, and 50% of the recommended N doses produced the highest and statistically equivalent yields in 6.0 m alley width, suggesting that up to 50% of inorganic N fertilizer can be saved without sacrificing the cauliflower production. The considerable decrease in inorganic nitrogenous fertilizer surely provide economic benefit to our farming communities as well as to the agro-ecosystems. Moreover, the net return and BCR showed that all the alley cropping systems were more profitable compared to control, specifically 6.0 m alley width with 100% N level provided the highest economic return. Based on the findings, farmers may be advised to adopt alley cropping system on their farming landscape; however, it is needed to conduct similar research in other location of the country to validate the potentiality of this system.
Abbreviations

BCR

Benefit-to-Cost Ratios

OM

Organic Matter

mm

Millimeter

cm

Centimeter

t ha‒1

Ton per Hectare

N

Nitrogen

Kg ha–1

Kilogram per Hectare

TSP

Triple Superphosphate

MoP

Muriate of Potash

DAT

Days After Transplanting

PM

Pruned Materials
Acknowledgments
The department of Agroforestry and Environment at BSMRAU, Bangladesh, has provided the facilities required for the effective completion of this research project, for which the authors are incredibly grateful.
Author Contributions
Abu Syed Md. Jobaydul Alam: Investigation, Formal Analysis, Writing – original draft
Satya Ranjan Saha: Conceptualization, Supervision, Validation, Resources
Md. Suhag: Conceptualization, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – review & editing
Md. Giashuddin Miah: Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing – review & editing
Md. Mizanur Rahman: Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing – review & editing
Md. Rafiqul Islam: Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing – review & editing
Zabid Al Riyadh: Data Curation, Visualization
Apple Mahmud: Formal Analysis, Writing – review & editing
Conflicts of Interest
No conflicts of interest are disclosed by the authors.
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    Alam, A. S. M. J., Saha, S. R., Suhag, M., Miah, M. G., Rahman, M. M., et al. (2025). Supplementary Biomass Addition Enhances the Crop Productivity: Evidence from a Gliricidia sepium - Based Alley Cropping Practices in Gazipur District of Bangladesh. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 13(1), 38-48. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15

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    Alam, A. S. M. J.; Saha, S. R.; Suhag, M.; Miah, M. G.; Rahman, M. M., et al. Supplementary Biomass Addition Enhances the Crop Productivity: Evidence from a Gliricidia sepium - Based Alley Cropping Practices in Gazipur District of Bangladesh. Am. J. Agric. For. 2025, 13(1), 38-48. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15

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    AMA Style

    Alam ASMJ, Saha SR, Suhag M, Miah MG, Rahman MM, et al. Supplementary Biomass Addition Enhances the Crop Productivity: Evidence from a Gliricidia sepium - Based Alley Cropping Practices in Gazipur District of Bangladesh. Am J Agric For. 2025;13(1):38-48. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15,
  author = {Abu Syed Md. Jobaydul Alam and Satya Ranjan Saha and Md. Suhag and Md. Giashuddin Miah and Md. Mizanur Rahman and Md. Rafiqul Islam and Zabid Al Riyadh and Apple Mahmud},
  title = {Supplementary Biomass Addition Enhances the Crop Productivity: Evidence from a Gliricidia sepium - Based Alley Cropping Practices in Gazipur District of Bangladesh
},
  journal = {American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry},
  volume = {13},
  number = {1},
  pages = {38-48},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajaf.20251301.15},
  abstract = {Two consecutive experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of alley cropping practices on the productivity of cauliflower during the winter season of 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. An eleven-year-old G. sepium-established alley cropping field was used as the experimental site located in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh. The experiments were done using a split-plot design. Three alley widths of G. sepium viz. W3.0, W4.5, and W6.0 (3.0 m, 4.5 m, and 6.0 m) comprised factor A, the main plot factor. Within each main plot, five nitrogen (N) doses namely N0, N25, N50, N75, and N100 contributed the five levels of factor B (sub-plot factor) each replicated thrice. Control plots received allied N doses without pruned biomass to facilitate comparison with the alley cropping. The data from the two seasons on cauliflower were subjected to pooled analysis using R-statistics. Results revealed that, growth and yield attributes of cauliflower thrived in all the alley cropping plots compared to control (absence of tree), and increased along with the increase in applied N. Further, we assessed what combinations of alley width and N level provide the highest yield and found that, W6.0×N100 treatment combination yielded the highest cauliflower yield (33.55 t ha‒1) which was statistically equivalent to the yields of W6.0×N75 and W6.0×N50 combinations. It was also observed that all the alley cropped plots given higher economic benefit compared to control, specifically with the first three highest Benefit-to-Cost Ratios (BCRs) calculated in W6.0×N100 (3.27), W6.0×N50 (3.23), and in W6.0×N75 (3.21) treatment combinations. The outcome suggests that using pruned materials can be a viable alternative to enhance crop productivity, profitability and reduce the reliance on nitrogenous fertilizer.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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  • TY  - JOUR
T1  - Supplementary Biomass Addition Enhances the Crop Productivity: Evidence from a Gliricidia sepium - Based Alley Cropping Practices in Gazipur District of Bangladesh

AU  - Abu Syed Md. Jobaydul Alam
AU  - Satya Ranjan Saha
AU  - Md. Suhag
AU  - Md. Giashuddin Miah
AU  - Md. Mizanur Rahman
AU  - Md. Rafiqul Islam
AU  - Zabid Al Riyadh
AU  - Apple Mahmud
Y1  - 2025/02/20
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15
T2  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JF  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JO  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
SP  - 38
EP  - 48
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8591
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20251301.15
AB  - Two consecutive experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of alley cropping practices on the productivity of cauliflower during the winter season of 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. An eleven-year-old G. sepium-established alley cropping field was used as the experimental site located in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh. The experiments were done using a split-plot design. Three alley widths of G. sepium viz. W3.0, W4.5, and W6.0 (3.0 m, 4.5 m, and 6.0 m) comprised factor A, the main plot factor. Within each main plot, five nitrogen (N) doses namely N0, N25, N50, N75, and N100 contributed the five levels of factor B (sub-plot factor) each replicated thrice. Control plots received allied N doses without pruned biomass to facilitate comparison with the alley cropping. The data from the two seasons on cauliflower were subjected to pooled analysis using R-statistics. Results revealed that, growth and yield attributes of cauliflower thrived in all the alley cropping plots compared to control (absence of tree), and increased along with the increase in applied N. Further, we assessed what combinations of alley width and N level provide the highest yield and found that, W6.0×N100 treatment combination yielded the highest cauliflower yield (33.55 t ha‒1) which was statistically equivalent to the yields of W6.0×N75 and W6.0×N50 combinations. It was also observed that all the alley cropped plots given higher economic benefit compared to control, specifically with the first three highest Benefit-to-Cost Ratios (BCRs) calculated in W6.0×N100 (3.27), W6.0×N50 (3.23), and in W6.0×N75 (3.21) treatment combinations. The outcome suggests that using pruned materials can be a viable alternative to enhance crop productivity, profitability and reduce the reliance on nitrogenous fertilizer.

VL  - 13
IS  - 1
ER  -

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