ESTABLISHMENT AND GROWTH OF SOME MEDICINAL TREE SPECIES ON TWO DEGRADED LANDS AND IN AN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM IN KERALA, INDIA

Abstract

Survival and growth of seedlings of three medicinal trees species, viz. Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae), Caesalpinia sappan (Ceasalpiniaceae) and Pterocarpus santalinus (Papilionaceae), were studied on two degraded lands and in a coconut-based agroforestry system in Thrissur and Palakkad districts of Kerala, India. Seedling survival was in general high for all the three species (63-94%). The best growth was recorded in C. sappan followed by A. marmelos and P. santalinus. Seedlings of C. sappan and A. marmelos showed better growth in the coconut garden than in the degraded sites, whereas P. santalinus did not show any significant difference in growth in the three sites. Among the three species, highest shoot: root ratio was recorded for C. sappan. Shoot: root ratio of seedlings of all the species was consistently lower on the degraded sites than in the coconut garden.