Introductory Agroforestry

Suitable Species for Firewood/Fuel wood/ Energy Plantation for different regions

Tropical dry region: Acacia catechu, Acacia modesta, Acacia nilotica, Acacia Senegal, Acacia tortilis, Anogeissus pendula, Albizia lebbek, Azadirachta indica, Cassia siamea, Cordia rothii, Dalbergia sissoo, Emblica officinalis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Erythrina superb, Gmelina arborea, Parkinsonia aculeate, Peltophorum ferrugineum, Pongamia pinnata, Prosopis cineraria, Prosopis juliflora, Tamarindus indica, Tamarix troupe, Tecomella undulate, Zizyphus maurtiana etc.
Tropical humid region: Adina cordifolia, Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia catechu, Acacia nilotica, Albizia procera, Azadirachta indica, Cassia siamea, Casuarina equisetifolia, Dalbergia sissoo, Dendrocalamus strictus, Ficus spp., Eucalyptus spp., Kydia calycina, Leucaena leucocephala, Madhuca indica, Melia azedarach, Morus alba, Salix tetrasperma, Syzygium cuminii, Tamarindus indica, Trewia nudiflora, Gliricidia sepium and Gmelina arborea.
Sub-tropical region: Acacia catechu, Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia nilotica, Aesculus indica, Ailanthus excels, Celtis australis, Grevillea robusta, Michelia champaca, Populus deltoids, Populus nigra, Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix alba and Toona ciliate.
Temperate climate: Acer spp., Aesculus indica, Alnus nepalensis, Alnus nitida, Celtis australis, Populus ciliate, Quercus semecarpifolia, Salix alba and Toona serrata

• The direct use of firewood in densely populated area should be avoided as it causes environmental pollution.
• Some firewoods on burning give toxic and irritating smoke, and foul odour.
• The firewood may be converted into charcoal which is more efficient.
Charcoal:

• Charcoal is an ideal smokeless fuel for cooking. 1 kg of charcoal has a replacement value of 2.38 kg of firewood or more.
• The combustion efficiency of charcoal is about 28 per cent.
• Thus, conversion of firewood into charcoal for use as a fuel will be better than firewood as such.
• Charcoal is also useful as a reductant in electrometallurgical industries
• Manufacture of calcium carbide, carbon-disulphide and active carbon.
• It does not contain sulphur. The following are a few important trees species for energy plantation: (charcoal making)
Charcoal making: Acacia nilotica, Adina cordifolia, Anogeissus latifolia, Casuarina equisetifolia, Pinus roxburghi, Quercus leucotrichophora, Quercus semecarpifolia, Tamarindus indica, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellerica, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia catappa
Shrubs for energy plantation: Atlantia monophylla, Crewia latifolia, Clerodendron inerme, Dodonaea viscose, Jatropha glandulifera, Jatropha curcas, Tecoma gracilis and Ipomoea camea etc.

• Besides firewood and charcoal plants also provide exudates and extractives.
• Such plant species are energy rich and may be exploited as renewable sources of energy.
• These species are known as ‘petro-crops’, since they can serve as substitutes for supplement to petro chemicals.