General Information :

• Karaya is a moderate sized deciduous tree.
• The bark is thin papery, smooth shinning and greenish grey in color.
• Flowers greenish yellow in color.
• Star shaped scarlet red color fruit with 3-4 black colored seeds.

Distribution :

• Tree is widely distributed in India.

Habitat : Tropical deciduous forests.

Soil : Occurs in red lateritic soils and dry sandy soils.

Soil pH : 6.5 and 7.5

Altitude :Up to 750 m(MSL)

Rainfall :500-1900 mm

Temperature : 40-47.5 deg C

Terrain : It prefers dry, hot exposures of rocky hills.

Tree Characteristics :

• It is a strong light demander, drought hardy, sensitive to water-logging.

Habit : Dry Deciduous Tree

Growth : Slow

Height : 15 m

Natural Regeneration :

• It is naturally propagated by seeds.

Artificial Regeneration :

• Propagated by direct sowing and entire seedlings.

Seed collection and Storage :

• Mature pods are collected during February-March.
• The pods dried in sun and the seeds are extracted
• The seed rate varies from 4400-6400 / kg.
• Germination Percentage is 50 – 100 %
• Plant percentage are 18-90%

Seed Treatment :

• Soaking in cold water for 6 hours.

Nursery Technique :

• The seed is directly sown in the polybags in April - May
• Polythene bag with filled with sandy loam soil but not heavy clay and FYM
• Germination takes place within 7-15 days.
• Watering should be on alternate day after germination.
• Seedlings grow very rapidly and fit for planting out in three month.

Plantation technique :

Nursery Raised Seedlings:  

• Three month old nursery raised seedlings are selected for planting in pit size of 30 m3.
• Optimum Spacing adopted is 1.2 m x 1.2 m
• The seedlings should be planted out during the onset monsoon in well drained pits or contour trenches.    

  Direst Sowing:   

• The species is best raised by direct sowing in lines 30 cm wide and 1.8 cm apart.
• Seeds may be sown in the patches at an espacement of 1.8 x 1.8 x 1.8 m with about 3 seeds in each patch.
• Sowing done after the onset of monsoon.

 

Care & Disease Control :

Pest & Disease: Damping off may affect the seedlings. If it is noticed, 3% solution of copper fungicide in water should be sprayed on the affectd plants. Seedlings may die-back for 2-3 years in stage of planting. So the period of the establishment in the field can be reduced by applying chemical fertilizers, 25 gm of a mixture of ammonium sulphate and super phosphate per plant applied in 2 dosages, the first 10 days of planting and the seond after one month of planting.

Recommended Harvest :

• 40-50 years

Yield :

• Approximately 75 to 150 kg per annum.

Major uses :

• Regular weeding and soil working is essential.
• The most important product from the tree is Karaya Gum of  commerce which is of great demand.
• It is used in Printing paper industries, textile cosmetics and Pharmaceutical industries.
• The timber is suitable for making poles, rafters and tool handles.

Gum Tapping:

• Trees having girth 90 cm and above are suitable for tapping.
• Blazes should be made on the trees not lower than 90 cm from ground level with additional blaze for every 50 cm increase in girth.
• The size of the blaze should be limited to 15 cm (length) X 10 cm (breadth) X 2.5-3 cm (depth).
• The season of tapping will be from October to June

Other uses :

Medicinal The gum is used as a bulk laxative. It is not absorbed by the body, but swells up inside the gut to provide a bulk of material that gently stimulates peristalsis. The gum is also used to treat throat infections. Agroforestry Uses: A useful plant for reclaiming and reforesting bare, rocky land.

Market details :

• Wood:  Approximately Rs.2000- Rs.2500 / ton.