Soil water dynamics, growth of Dendrocalamus strictus and herbage productivity influenced by rainwater harvesting in Aravalli hills of Rajasthan

Degraded Aravalli hills in western India require rehabilitation through resource conservation and afforestation for meeting the biomass needs of resource-poor tribes of the region. Rainwater harvesting treatments i.e., control, Contour trench (CT), Gradonie (G), Box trench (BT) and V-ditch (VD) were prepared in <10%, 10–20% and >20% slopes categories and Dendrocalamus strictus L. seedlings were planted in August 2005 with a view to conserve soil and water and increase the productivity of the hills. Soil water content (SWC), survival and height of D. strictus plants were highest (P < 0.05) in <10% slope and all these variables decreased with increase in slope. SWC increased by 27.45% and 25.68% in <10% and >20% slopes, respectively than in 10–20% slope. From lowest in control SWC increased by 11.95%, 20.21%, 17.61% and 11.49% in CT, G, BT and VD treatments, respectively. Growth variables were highest in VD plots but the increase in shoot number was highest (2.9-fold) in CT plots. Increase in effects of rainwater harvesting with time indicated by a change in production pattern from highest (P < 0.05) fresh and dry herbage in <10% slope in 2005 to 10–20% slope (24.66% and 26.09%) in 2006 and >20% slope (42.42% and 48.35%, respectively) in 2007. The increase in herbage was 1.17–2.40-fold in fresh and 1.20–2.52-fold in dry herbage over control. Highest (P < 0.01) production was in V-ditch plots. The treatments order for herbage production was C < CT < G < BT < VD. But the production was highest in BT in <10% and in V-ditch plots in 10–20 and >20% slopes. Conclusively, soil water status is affected by natural slope, stony soil surface and rainwater harvesting structures influencing seedling growth and herbage production. Box trench and V-ditch enhanced surface soil water facilitating herbage growth, whereas contour trench facilitated deep soil water storage, which was made available to the plants after monsoon. Thus rainwater harvesting practices enhanced vegetation cover and productivity of the degraded hills and can be replicated to conserve soil resource and increase biomass for rural poor of the region.