Abstract. A study was made on the effect of an east-west tree line of 3½ years old Eucalyptus
tereticornis on soil physical parameters and adjoining mustard and wheat crops as a function
of distance from the tree-crop interface in north- and south-facing sides. Maximum soil
temperature, pan evaporation, moisture extraction, number of plants/m 2, and yields of
mustard and wheat did not differ significantly on the two sides of plantation. Plant growth
parameters decreased linearly with distance from the plantation. Mustard yield, Y (kg/ha) was
linearly related to moisture extraction, ME (ram) as Y = 1914-120.3ME. Eucalyptus
tereticornis was found to extract 5 times more water than mustard from 0-150 cm soil profile.
Mustard and wheat yield reductions in adjoining 10 meter strips on both sides of the
plantation were 47 and 34 per cent, respectively. Eucalyptus tereticornis is, therefore, not a
suitable species for row plantations in agro-forestry systems in deep water table conditions of
semi-arid regions.