Introductory Agroforestry

Regeneration

Natural:–

• It is seldom found growing gregariously,
• It regenerates naturally by seeds, coppice and root suckers
• Fruit ripening coincides with rainy season; fallen fruits germinate within a fortnight giving a thicket of seedlings under mature tree.
• Germination is epigeal
• Mature tree comparatively have short tap root and number of horizontally growing lateral roots
Artificial :-

• It can be raised easily through direct sowing, planting out of entire plants or stump planting
Seed collection and storage:

• Fruiting starts early in South India and late in North India
• Seeds are preferably collected in June-July or some time seeds swept from the floor as soon as they fall down
• Seed do not require any pre-sowing treatment
• De-pulping and cleaning the seed considerably improve germination percentage
Nursery technique:

• Sowing in raised nursery beds is done in June in drills 15cm apart;
• The seeds being sown 2.5cm apart in the lines.
• They should be lightly covered with soil since the emerging radicles are eaten by rodents.
• Depth of sowing is to 2.5cm.
• Seed can be sown in poly bags (22cm×9cm) and later transplanted to 30cm×16cm size poly bags.
• Pricking out of seedlings or wilding is done at three leaves stage into polythene bags.
Direct Sowing:

• It is done by dibbling in bushes, broadcast sowing, sowing in lines or patches, in trenches, sunken beds or circular saucers etc.
• Especially sowing in lines or patches has been employed under taungya system.
Planting technique:

• One year old seedlings are considered the best over either two years or below one year.
• Planting should be done in July-August during rainy period and stopped in the non-rainy days
• Winter planting is unsuitable for neem.
• Cleaning around the pits should be done at the time of planting.
Stump planting:

• It is carried out in 30 cm3 pits as soon as rain break.
• Stumps are usually prepared from two year old seedlings,
• One year old seedlings of fertilized nurseries can also be used.
Vegetative propagation:

• It is propagated by air-layering or by rooting stem cuttings and root cuttings.
• Successful air-layering was achieved by treatment with 0.1 per cent Indole-butyric acid or naphthalene acetic acid.
Economic importance: Almost every part of neem tree is useful from its roots, trunk, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds in day to day life.