Among several agroforestry practices in Fedis District, East Hararghe zone, Parkland agroforestry practices are common. However, the beneficial effect of tree species on the grain yield and above ground biomass of Sorghum is very scarce to be used for improved agricultural productivity in the study area. The study was conducted with the objectives of investigating the effect of parkland trees on the grain yield and above ground biomass of Sorghum within and outside the trees canopy as influenced by the tree species in Fedis District, Oromia, Ethiopia. Accordingly, six isolated and nearly similar F. albida and C. africana trees of each species growing on similar site conditions were selected and the canopy coverage of each tree was divided into four radial transects. Radial distance-based sorghum yield and biomass (under the canopy, edge to canopy, and far from canopy) was used and composite Sorghum yield and biomass samples from three horizontal distances were collected for analysis. Three plots from the tree trunk were established for assessing the sorghum yields and above ground biomass. The result show that the highest values of sorghum grain yield were 2089.51 and 1789.53 kg ha-1 under F. albida and C. africana respectively at the distance of 2.5 m away from the tree trunks and these values decreased to 1459.40 and 1266.01 kg ha-1 under F. albida and C. africana respectively, at the distance of 25 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 sorgum grain yield and biomass as distance from tree trunk increases, for both F. albida and C. africana. The research finding showed that trees have positive relation with grain yield and above ground biomass of sorghum due letter fall. Hence, the growing of Faidherbia albida and Cordia africana trees on small holder farms improve crop productivity for improvement of this agroforestry system.
Parkland Agroforestry, Transect, Canopy cover, sorghum yield, above ground biomass
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