Introductory Agroforestry

NURSERY TECHNIQUE

Nursery technique

• Nursery beds are prepared one year in advance of planting
• Beds of 12 m × 1.2 m size are prepared
• In moist localities raised beds are prepared while in dry localities sunken beds are helpful for germination
• Seeds are sown in the nursery bed from February-June
• 2.5-3 Kg seeds are required per bed
• About 1200-1500 seedlings are expected

Preparation of stumps

• Stumps with 1cm to 2cm diameter at collar level with about 25cm root portion and 2.5cm stem portion are most suitable

Plantation technique

Direct sowing

• It is practiced on very limited scale due to heavy causality

Entire transplanting

• Dona plants are preferred in place of pre-sprouted or normal teak stumps
• The soil in dona retains moisture for comparatively longer period and keep the plant alive
• Dona plants are 4-6 months old at time of planting
  

Stump planting

• This is the most useful and economical method for teak plantation
• Stumps are plated in crow bar holes and generally buried up to the collar
• In Odisha and drier part of Tamil Nadu stumps are buried up to the tip
• In Madhya Pradesh, in hard soil, stumps are planted in 15cm diameter hole and about 30cm deep
• While planting the stumps the collar is flushed with ground level

Pre-sprouted teak stumps

• In very dry locality pre-sprouted stump planting give satisfactory results
• The stumps are planted 4-6 month in advance and put in container raised on a platform in shade and watered daily
• These stumps after sprouting are planted at the onset of monsoon
• The planting of sprouts is done with the ball of Earth intact in cylindrical holes

Polythene bag

• Planting of seedling raised in polythene bags have also been tried in such cases treated seeds are sown directly in polythene bags filled with manured soil
• The bags are watered daily and planted out when seedling attains a height of 15cm

Vegetative propagation

• Teak can be propagated by grafting, layering and rooting branch cutting
• Among the grafting method used bud grafting is preferred as it is easy, economical and more suitable for grafting on stumps
• Grafting success depends upon age of mother plant, time of grafting and method used

Economic importance

(i) Furniture and house construction
(ii) Ship and railway coach
(iii) Wood oil for decreasing durability of timbers

Source: Report of the task force on greening India for livelihood security and sustainable development. Planning Commission. Government of India. July-2001