Introductory Agroforestry (1+1)

REGENERATION

Natural-

• Seeds abundantly
• Requires warmth and light for germination
• In cool shady places the seeds may lie dormant for years
• Establishment of seedlings largely depends on light
• Frost sensitive nature hence seedlings are killed by frost
• Light burning is beneficial
• Weed growth and ground vegetation is obstacles
• Especially Lantana camera discourages its regeneration

Artificial-

• First ever plantation is carried out in Nilambur in 1842 under Conolly.
• Seeds, coppice shoots, stump etc.

Seed collection and storage

• Viable seeds obtained from the age of 5-6years
• Twenty year old plantation regenerates naturally
• Nine year old coppice raised plantation produce healthy seedlings
• Seeds should be collected underneath the trees during January-March
• Seeds cleaned and dried are collected in gunny bags and stored in dry areas
• 35 Kg seeds are required to produce stumps for one hectare area

Pre-sowing treatment

• Necessary to break dormancy of the seed
• Seed germination in the untreated seeds is totally absent or very insignificant
• Following treatments are required to break dormancy of the seed

• Natural Weathering
• Seeds are spread over raised platform in the middle of August during rains seeds get soaked and then with sun they get dried thus getting natural weathering
• Artificial weathering
• Freshly collected seeds are put in gunny bags which are then submerged under flowing water for four days. The gunny bags are taken out and spread over in strong sun for four days. It is again submerged in water for 3-4 days following drying. It is repeated for 3-4 times until endocarp and mesocarp get easily cracked
• Pit method
• Seeds are put in alternate layers of seeds and straw and daily watered for seven days then dried and stored till the time of sowing
• Soaking in water
• Immersion of seeds in water for number of days has hastens germination
• Biological method
• Burying the seeds for one year near the ant hill is reported to give better results
• Chemical treatment
• Soaking the seed in concentrated H₂SO₄ for 20 minutes and thorough washing in running water hastens germination
• Scorching
• Scorching the seeds in light running fire of leaves of grass or alternatively seed picked from plantation after a light ground leaf-fire is useful method
• Cowdung
• Soaking the seeds in the mixture of cowdung and water enhance germination