Informatics Publishing Limited

J. M. S. Tomar , D. K. Hore , A. Annadurai

Abstract

Bamboo with its multifarious utility plays an important role in food and nutritional security of the tribal population in North-East India besides industrial value. Most of the tree improvement in bamboo is based on phenotypic selection followed by clonal multiplication. Since bamboo flowers rarely sexual propagation based improvement has limited success resulting in less variation. Hence creation of variation through tissue culture and molecular means have greater potential in bamboo. The depleting bamboo genetic resources should be conserved by ex-situ and in-situ means. Monopodial bamboo species which are usually stretched in large area like M. bacciferain in NC Hills and D. hamiltonii in Mikir hills can be conserved by declaring these areas as gene sanctuary for these species. The sympodial bamboo species with sparse distribution can be conserved through community based approach and by developing 'Bambusetum'. Strengthening inventories of bamboo genetic resources and their distribution, data on important products and their utilization, knowledge on domestic and international markets, developing appropriate bamboo based agroforestry system, capacity building by way of training in management of micro enterprise and cooperative, availability of micro credit for people operating at very subsistence level, value added bamboo processing and design technologies are important issues to be answered in this part of the country to boom with bamboo.

Keywords

Bamboos, Conservation, North-East India

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J. M. S. Tomar , Anup Das , Lokho Puni , O. P. Chaturvedi , G. C. Munda

Abstract

Shifting cultivation locally called jhum is an integral part in tribal life of the northeastern hill regions of India and has direct bearing on their socio-cultural systems. In order to improve and restore the degraded sites under jhum cultivation some short term and long term options have been suggested. Short term options, like proper bunding, residue cycling, use of high yielding varieties, etc. and long term viable options like terracing, water harvesting, agroforestry, integrated farming systems are some improved method of jhum cultivation. Application of appropriate techniques as per land situation would help in conservation of resources, improved soil health and sustainable production. The improvement in jhum cultivation practices would be further enhanced through complete education and awareness of tribal farmers of the region.

Keywords

Jhum, Ecosystem Degradation, Sustainability, Alternatives, North Eastern India

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M. Ayoub Dar , S. Nautiyal , Meena Bakshi , H. Mehta , O. P. Chaturvedi , J. M. S. Tomar

Abstract

Genetic parameters for nine pod and seed traits. and per cent germination were worked out in thirty seed sources of Acacia nilotica mostly from the state of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Values for variability expected genetic gain were calculated for aU individual characters. Seed length, seed width and 100 seed weight exhibited high genetic variabiJity, heritability and genetic gain. Correlation study revealed that pod thickness; pod weight, seed length, seed width, seed thickness and 100 seed weight had significant and positive association with germination percentage. These traits therefore should be given priority for improving germination in Acacia nilotica.

Keywords

Genetic Gain, Genetic Variability, Heritability, Seed Traits, Germination per Cent, Seed Source And Acacia Nilotica

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K. S. Dadhwal , J. M. S. Tomar , M. Muruganandam , R. Kaushal , O. P. Chaturvedi

Abstract

North-western Himalayan region of India is blessed with vast natural resources, yet confronted with poor quality of life. Agriculture in the region is very subsistence in nature mainly to meet the livelihood and food requirements of the households. The agriculture productivity in the region is very low due to a variety of reasons including rainfed farming and low input usage. In the region, farming systems on integrated watershed management basis can be promoted for diversification, improving livelihood, soil quality and food security. Besides, it can also be helpful in soil amelioration, stabilization of degraded lands and mitigation of the impacts of climate.

Keywords

Agroforestry Systems, Integrated Farming Systems, Northwestern Himalayas, Watershed Management

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Akram Ahmed ¹, J. M. S. Tomar ², Harsh Mehta ², N. M. Alam ², O. P. Chaturvedi ²

Affiliations
1 Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi 284 003, IN
2 Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute, 218 Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun 248 195, IN

Abstract

Rainfall event on a tree can be partitioned into throughfall, interception loss and stemflow. In this study, stemflow was measured for 39 rainfall events in 5-year-old plantations of 3 trees each, belonging to Morus alba and Grewia optiva in Dehradun, India. Diameter of selected Morus and Grewia trees varies from 7 to 9.3 and 8.12 to 10 cm respectively, whereas height varies from 4 to 4.5 and 5.5 to 6.5 m respectively. The minimum and maximum rainfall events recorded during the study period were 1.01 and 121.70 mm per day respectively. When the rainfall magnitude was less than or equal to 50 mm and more than 50 mm, stemflow volume from Morus was approximately 2.72 and 1.85 fold higher respectively, compared to Grewia. Maximum stemflow volume recorded for Morus and Grewia was 48,065 and 30,633 ml with respect to rainfall magnitude of 109.58 and 121.70 mm respectively. The generation of higher stemflow volume in case of Morus is due to concave orientation of branches and leaves. Results showed that a significant amount of nutrients leached from Grewia and Morus through stemflow process.

Keywords

Canopy Architecture, Interception Loss, Rainfall, Stemflow, Throughfall.

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R. Kaushal ¹, Tarun Kumar ¹, Avnindra Singh ¹, J. M. S. Tomar ¹, H. Mehta ¹, Manoj Chandran ², S. T. S. Lepcha ³, J. Durai ⁴

Affiliations
1 ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun 248 195, IN
2 Uttarakhand Bamboo and Fibre Development Board, Dehradun 248 001, IN
3 National Bamboo Mission, New Delhi 110 001, IN
4 International Network on Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing, 100102, CN

Abstract

The present study evaluates the growth performance and resource conservation attributes of Dendrocalamus stocksii introduced in the Himalayan foothills, India in 2012. The growth and biomass production after seven years were comparable with the growth performance of species in its native region in the Western Ghats. Maximum culm weight of 7.9 kg was recorded in the fifth year. The litterfall reached 8.70 Mg ha–1 in 2019. The basal portion up to 2.25 m was entirely solid after the fifth year of harvesting, which offers a good market potential and a substitute to Dendrocalamus strictus. Studies revealed that about one-third of the ischolar_main number and ischolar_main biomass was observed in 0–10 cm soil layer, whereas about 74% of total ischolar_main number and about 79% of total ischolar_main biomass was recorded in the 0–30 cm soil layer. The dense shallow ischolar_main system can help prevent soil erosion and make the species suitable for the sites having indurate pan at varying depths. Soil hydraulic conductivity and aggregate stability showed marked improvement after six years. Overall, the species can be recommended for large-scale cultivation in the Himalayan foothills

Keywords

Bamboo, biomass, culm, hydraulic conductivity, ischolar_maining intensity.

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