Introductory Agroforestry

REGENERATION

Natural Regeneration

• Very poor due to destruction of seeds by ants
• Young seedlings smothered by leaf collar
• Leaves are toxic and contain germination inhibitor

Artificial Regeneration

Seed collection and storage:

• Seeds should be collected from 10year old trees. Although fertile seed is available from young tree
• In a year two collection 1st - February-March and 2nd – October-November
• Capsules should be dries in shade for one day
• Gently shaken to clean the shells
• Dry and stored in tins at cool dry places
• 3,67,400 seeds weigh one Kg

Nursery techniques:

• Seed should be sown in raised nursery bed in the month of October-November or February-March
• Soil should be sterilized with Aldrex or BHC against termites
• Seed should be sown 20gm/m2 of bed in lines 10cm apart and 2.5mm deep
• Germination takes place within 5-15 days of sowing
• 60-75 seedlings are obtained from one gram of seeds
• Seedlings are pricked out when they attain a height of 4-8cm
• Pricking of seedling should be done in to polythene bag
• Polythene bags initially should be placed in shade for few days and then shifted in the open in sunken beds
• The seedlings are hand watered for some time and later the beds may be irrigated.

Planting out:

• The area to be planted is clear felled ploughing and properly soil working should be done
• In Terai areas of UP for the first year only cash crops are raised and plantings is done in the 2nd year
• Pit size should be 45cm3 or 30cm3
• For saline and alkaline soils large pit of 60cm3 with soil replacement with good soil are dug out at wider spacing
• Planting is done in July in areas subject to South-West Monsoon
• October-November in areas of North-East Monsoon
• Container/bag should be removed at the time of planting
• Watering and fertilizer application should be done in poor soils
• Casualties are beaten up immediately after planting in the first year
• In arid areas 3-4 watering in the first year produce good stock

Spacing:

• Spacing depends upon the objective of plantation
• Spacing varies: 1.8m × 1.8m – 3m × 3m
• For firewood/fuelwood : 1m × 1m or 1.5m × 1.5m
• For pulpwood/poles: 2m × 2m or 3m × 2m
• For saw log: 3m × 3m
• For Windbreaks and shelterbelts: 1.5m × 1.5m or 2m × 1m

Vegetative propagation:

• Clonal propagation has been attempted by means of Grafting, budding, air layering and soft wood cutting
• Propagules should be treated by IBA 10000ppm
• The selected plus tree are cut at about 12cm height from the ground level
• The coppice shoot are harvested between 45 days and 55 days after the tree has been cut
• The cut shoot are placed in a bucket of water transplanted to the nursery
• The length of cuttings vary from 10-15cm
• The base of the cuttings should be treated with 200ppm solution of Benlate Fungicide for 15-30minutes
• The base up to 2cm is treated with 6000ppm IBA diluted with talc powder
• The cuttings are planted in polythene tubes
• The growing media is vermiculite
• Cutting develop good root system within 5-6 weeks

Tending operations:

• Like weeding, fertilization thinning etc. Should be done time to time

Economic importance

(i) Pulp and fuel
(ii) Pole for general purposes
(iii) Leaves for oil