Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
removed, so that after the operation only a dressed stump is visible. Cut-back and
stump dressing thus leads to accelerated growth of the main stem of the plant and
avoids unwanted growth of the plant in an unruly manner.
Follow-up action of cut-back operation includes maintenance of the dressed
stumps. Shoots may sprout in all directions at many places, whereas it is desired
that only certain leading shoots should grow. Therefore, all unwanted shoots should
be removed from time to time. Constant maintenance for at least two seasons is re-
quired for the leading shoots to establish definitive lead, after which they will emerge
as the main stem and inhibit growth of the side shoots by themselves.
It is important to execute moisture conservation works specifically to improve
moisture availability to the rootstock. Contour trenches should be considered if it
is desired to afforest the area mainly by regenerating the rootstock. If planting is
proposed, appropriate measures of S&WC will anyway be executed all over the
area, which will also benefit the rootstock. However, it is also beneficial to make
saucers around the young regeneration to individually harvest moisture. One can also
consider watering these plants along with watering of the planted seedlings, if these
are young and fragile and likely to suffer from drought.
Operations of hoeing and weeding should be extended to naturally occurring
plants in the area if these are nascent, small, and tender. These point-to-point moisture
conservation measures along with the general measures of S&WC will greatly speed
up growth of the natural rootstock.
Pruning of plants branching excessively or too low should also be considered.
Operations of pruning (removal of undesired branches) and singling (removal of
undesired multiple stems) are silvicultural improvement works like cut-back or stump
dressing operations. Singling of the bushy plants will boost the growth of the main
stem and soon a good forest of trees may be visible.
Where the young regeneration of naturally occurring plants is mainly from the
seed, the seedlings may often be seen to be crowding in a particular area. In such
cases, the seedlings may be pricked out or potted, depending upon the age and the
species, and transplanted at a suitable spacing to evenly cover the plantation area. In
this manner, the need for nursery operations is obviated and indigenously occurring
plants of good quality can be raised within the plantation.
Plants regenerating from root suckers will be relatively difficult to translocate. In
case of species with a strong rooting power such as the bamboos, cuttings of root
suckers or rhizomes may be prepared during the rainy season and replanted elsewhere
after dipping these in a rooting hormone. Tufts of certain grasses can be uprooted,
separated into several slips, and transplanted into dibbles in a line on a furrow made
by tractor-drawn disc plough, or on the bund of a V-ditch. Similarly, growth of root
suckers may be stimulated by locating the lateral roots of adult trees and making cuts
in these.
All maintenance operations should be carried out in the translocated rootstock also.
Care should be taken to ensure that plants of this category are separately watched and
cared for—apart from the artificially planted seedlings. Weeds should be removed
in time, and hoeing should follow the last rains of the season. Saucers or ring pits, if
provided, should be repaired and maintained.
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