General Information :

• Eucalyptus tereticornis is a tree up to 45 m tall or taller.
• Crown large, open or fairly dense.
• Bark smooth, whitish often some rough, dark grey bark at base;
• Twigs reddish or yellowish-green.

Distribution :

• In India it is the second most widely planted species after teak
• It has been planted on a large scale in the country both in the forest and outside in the agricultural lands, wastelands, roadsides, public places etc.

Habitat : Deciduous forests

Soil : Alluvial soils, silts and clays .

Altitude : Up to1000 m (MSL)

Rainfall :500-1500 mm

Temperature : 12°C to 32°C

Terrain : Plains / hilly

Tree Characteristics :

• It is a strong light demander.
• complete overhead and side light are required both by the coppice and seedlings for healthy growth.

Habit : Deciduous tree

Natural Regeneration :

• Natural regeneration through coppice

Artificial Regeneration :

• Seedlings can be easily propagated by vegetative cutting and nursery raised seedling.

Seed collection and Storage :

• Fertile seeds are produced at early stage.
• The ripe seeds are collected may –August.
• The seeds weigh about 230-350 per gram.
• The germination percentage is 30-80

Seed Treatment :

• No Seed treatment is necessary.

Nursery Technique :

• Seed are sown in Feb-March in the mother bed
• 75-100 gms per/m2 bed.
• After sowing, the bed is covered with thin layer of soil and thatches
• Bed should be watered regularly.
• Germination takes place in 10-15 days.
• Two leaf stage seedlings are pricked out from the mother bed and transferred to poly bag.

Plantation technique :

• Planting is done at the onset of monsoon.
• The land is prepared by loosening the soil through ploughing.
• Pit size 30 cm3 and Spacing 3 x 2 m, 3x 3 m and 3.5 m x 3.5 m.

Care & Disease Control :

• In case of coppice origin, coppicing should be at a height of 10-20 cm above the ground.
• Singling of coppice shoots is taken up within 6 months of harvesting.
• Undesirable shoots are cut back during the 1st and 2nd year after sprouting.

Irrigation :

• Drip Irrigation is recommended.

Recommended Harvest :

• Short rotations of 5 - 6 years for pulp and paper.
• 10-15 years for plywood.
• Over matured trees can be used for biomass power plant.

Yield :

• In Tamil Nadu, about 25-30 t/ha at a rotation of 6-7 years was realized
• through seed raised plantations
• Introduction of clones increased the yield up to 60-70 t/ha in 6 years rotation.
• Through site clone matching, a yield of 100-150 t/ha was achieved in five years rotation depending on the fertility level of the soil.

Agro Forestory :

• Planted in shelter-belts as a windbreak and for shade

Major uses :

Timber:

• Wood is used mainly for and paper & pulp, plywood,  poles, posts, fire wood, charcoal
• It is also used for hardboard and particle board.

Essential oil:

• The leaves are 1 of the sources of eucalypt oil, and the principal leaf oil is cineole (45%).
• The oil yield percentage by fresh weight is 0.9-1.4%. The wood contains 0.5% essential oil.

Tannin or dyestuff:

• The wood contains 6-12% tannin, and the bark 3-15. In Congo, tannin is extracted from the wood and the bark.

Fuel:

• It has popular and widely used for firewood and charcoal.

 

Market details :

• Approximately Rs.6000-700/ton for Pulp and paper and Rs.9000-10000/ton for Plywood.

*Subject to change according to market demands