J. K. Sharma , Sandeep Sharma

Abstract

The litterfall under sapling, pole and mature stands of Chir pine in Shiwalik hills of Himachal Pradesh have been studied. The litter comprised of needles, twig and bark in sapling and pole stands whereas in mature stands, the cones were also included. The litterfall was maximum in summer months i.e. April and May in sapling, pole and mature Chir pine stands but was also influenced by the micro-climatic conditions of that year. The needles had the maximum share (93 to 99%) in total litter under all the Chir pine stands. The average annual litterfall recorded under sapling, pole and mature Chir pine stands was 44.53, 73.72 and 76.39 q/ha, respectively in Shiwalik hills. It was also found that one third needle litter fall occurred in April and May months causing forest fires in Chir pine forests. The information evolved from the present study may be beneficial for devising management strategires for Chir pine needle litter.

Full Text

     

J. K. Sharma , C. Mohanan

Abstract

Rainfall had great influence on the severity of Cylindrocladium leaf blight, which was further intensified when an intercrop (taungya) of Manihot utilissima Pohl. was cultivated in a 2-yr-old plantation of Eucalyptus tereticornis. High severity of the disease was positively correlated with high rainfall pattern; apparently high relative humidity had little impact on disease severity.

Full Text

     

C. Mohanan , J. K. Sharma

Abstract

Diseases of Casurina equisetifolia in nurseries and trial plantations in southern states of India are reported. Rhizoctonia solani causing seedling blight, stem canker and ischolar_main rot (nurseries) and branch canker and foliage infection caused by Phomopsis casuarinae, pink disease caused by Corticium salmonicolor (trial plantation) are new record from India. Application of Vitavax (0.05% a.i.) in nurseries effectively controlled the diseases caused by R. solani.

Full Text

     

J. K. Sharma , M. Prabhakar , Kamal Sharma

Abstract

The macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Na) concentration was studied in the leaves of Terminalia arjuna, the potential fodder species of low hills of Himachal Pradesh. The leaf samples were selected from leaf emergence (May month) to leaf senescence (April month). N, P and K contents decreased in the foliage of the species with the increase in the leaf age and leaf size whereas Ca concentration increased in the leaves throughout the growing season till the leaf fall. Na contents did not reveal any particular trend. The seasonal average of N, P, K, Ca and Na was 1.45, 0.194, 1.55, 4.39 and 0.19 per cent, respectively. Further, based on the seasonal average and seasonal nutrient trend, the optimum lopping time to harvest nutrient rich fodder for cattle is recommended as November and December months

Keywords

Terminalia Arjuna, Micro-nutrient, Fodder

Full Text