Promising Eucalyptus Clones for Vindhyan Region of Uttar Pradesh
Abstract
As a short rotation and fast growing nature, Eucalyptus is widely preferred by farmers for pulp paper and plywood industries as well as in local market for poles. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, eucalypts are in improving stage for adoption at larger level and choice of suitable clones in plantations is still a big challenge for them. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the growth performance of Eucalyptus clones in Vindhyan region of Mirzapur district for identification of promising clones. An experimental trial was established in the year 2016 with 19 commercial clones at spacing of 2x3 meter in randomized block design in Mirzapur. The annual increment of each clone was calculated using all the growth parameters (girth at breast height; gbh and height) for consecutive five years. The highest value of increment in gbh belonged to clones P-32 (53.88 cm) followed by 07 (51.96 cm), P-14 (50.40 cm), 288 (48.24 cm), P-23 (46.89 cm), P-50 (45.79 cm), and P-13 (44.99 cm) after five year of planting. The clones with good annual increment in height were 07 (17.50 m) followed by P-32 (17.33 m).On the basis of growth parameters, viz. height, girth at breast height, basal area and tree volume, clone P-32, 07, P-14, 288, P-23, P-50 and P-13 were promising over others. (Fig.1). All superior clones belonged to species E. camaldulensis except 288 and 07 which were of E. tereticornis. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) for mean height and girth increments showed high levels of significance.
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Introduction
The early introduction of E. camaldulensis and E. tereticornis to India was from southern temperate localities in Australia rather than the northern tropical regions where the climatic conditions closely resemble the areas available in India because of the inaccessibility and difficulties in collecting seeds (Boland et al. 1981). Therefore, there is an urgent need for improvement in production of forest resources to meet the needs of fuel-wood, timber and wood production on a sustainable basis and increase biomass yield from farm forestry plantations (Patil et al. 2012, Srivastav et al. 2018). India has ~10% of the world’s Eucalyptus plantation. As per the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Report (FP/48/E) 2014, around 93% of industrial wood requirement in the country is met out of agro/farm forestry plantations (~70% is Eucalyptus). In eastern Gangetic Plain region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, Eucalypts are in improving stage for adoption at larger level and choice of suitable clones in plantations is still a big challenge. Large scale Eucalyptus plantations have been raised on forest & farm lands, community lands and road / rail / canal strips in India. These plantations have created very useful resource for timber, poles, pulpwood and fuel-wood. However, most of these past plantations had very large genetic variation, low productivity ranging from 6 to 10 m3.ha-1.yr-1 and poor returns because inferior seed used for raising most of the target oriented plantations ( Lal, 1993). As a short rotation and fast growing nature, Eucalyptus is widely preferred by farmers for pulp and paper industries as well as in local market for pole (Behera, 2016). In eastern part of Uttar Pradesh state of India, Eucalypts are in improving stage for adoption at larger level and choice of suitable clones in plantations is still a big challenge for them. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the growth performance of Eucalyptus clones in Vindhyan region of eastern Uttar Pradesh in Mirzapur district for identification of promising planting material.
Conclusion
It is clear from the study that selection of clones for a particular site is very important to get maximum productivity of clonal eucalypts plantations in and around Eastern Uttar Pradesh. In addition, this study demonstrated that there would be clear benefits, with respect to productivity of a large eucalypt plantation to pursuing site-specific selection and deployment strategies for the high productive clones. Although implementing such a strategy could require significant investments infield trials, for larger growers with plantations spread across site types, the benefits with respect to increased clonal plantation with site specific clones would be more beneficial. Thus, suitable clones of eucalypts may improve agroforestry in the region of eastern UP. The identified commercial clones of Eucalypts may open a new path for stakeholders of the region for more adoption of species in agroforestry models with better returns after shorter duration of time. Therefore, clonal plantations of Eucalyptus under agro-forestry system should be encouraged and integrated with planned development of wood based industries through innovative policy changes.
