General Information :

• It is a moderate sized to large, deciduous tree.
• The bark is smooth grey in color
• Leaves are bright green and flowers creamy white in color.
• The fruits are cylindrical capsule 10-15 cm long hanging like cucumber, greenish in color, 5 celled, lined with long, white, silky wool.
• Seeds numerous embedded in white silky hairs. 

Distribution :

• It is widely distributed, almost throughout India, excepting the arid regions. 

Habitat : Tropical Evergreen and Deciduous forest.

Soil : A well drained soil is necessary for its growth as it thrives well on deep, porous, sandy loam or alluvial flats on the bank of the streams.

Altitude :Up to 1200 m (MSL)

Rainfall :750-3000 mm

Temperature : 18°C to 38°C

Terrain : Plains / hilly.

Tree Characteristics :

• Strong light demander, intolerant to suppression and  drought tolerant.

Habit : Deciduous Tree.

Natural Regeneration :

Natural Regeneration:

• Regeneration is very poor.

Artificial Regeneration

• Propagated by direct sowing or Nursery raised seedlings.

Seed Collection and Strorage:

• The fruits are collected from the trees in March-May, dried in the sun, and seed separated from floss by shaking the capsules in a bag.
• The numbers of seeds per kg 45000 seeds
• Germination percentage of 90-95%.
• Viability of seeds is very low since the seed contain food reserves in the form of oils that tend to go rancid quickly.

Seed Treatment:

• The seeds are soaked in water for 24 hours prior to sowing in cold to hot water. 

  Nursery Technique

• The seeds are sown in polybags of size 13 x 25 cm at the rate of 2-3 seeds per bag.
• Germination commences in about a week and is over within three weeks.
• They are planted during north -east monsoon.
• The young plants raised in light shade until they are 12-15 cm tall, than exposed to full sunlight until they are ready to be transplanted to the field (about 45-60cm tall).

 

Plantation technique :

Direct sowing:

• Sowing carried out in raised patches 3.7 m x 3.7 m, just before th onset of monsoon, using 3 – 6 seeds per patch.

Nursery raised Seedlings:

• The land is prepared by loosening the soil through ploughing and pitting with machinery.
• Refilling with top soil
• Pit size : 45 cm3
• Spacing 5m x 5m or 5m x 6m can be adopted.

Care & Disease Control :

• Fast growing species requires little weeding after one year.
• Thorough weeding and soil working around the plants gives good results in growth of seedlings.
• Pruning is done up to man’s height.

Irrigation :

• For proper growth and survival it is necessary to give one or two waterings after planting.
• This is specifically required in arid regions.
• Irrigation after planting is not a prerequisite in areas having sufficient soil moisture and precipitation.
• Higher survival rate and better rate of growth is reported when soil and water conservation measures are also adopted.

Recommended Harvest :

• 30-45 years

Yield :

• Approximately 2000 – 4000 kg/ha of floss annually.*

*Subject to varry according to site factors.

Market details :

• Approximately Rs.5000 to Rs.7000/ton*

*Subject to change according to market demands