General Information :

• It is a small to moderate sized deciduous tree
• Bark is thin, smooth, darkish green.
• Flowers yellow or pinkish in color
• Fruits greyish brown in color containing 6-8 seeds in each pod.

Distribution :

• Indigenous to Western Ghats with a high rainfall. 

Habitat : It common in the dry deciduous and thorn forests of South India.

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

Altitude :Up to 900 m (MSL)

Rainfall :600-1000 mm

Temperature : 30°C to 42.5°C

Terrain : Flat

Tree Characteristics :

• Strong light demander, drought resistant and intolerant of suppression. 

Habit : Deciduous Tree

Natural Regeneration :

Natural Regeneration:

• Regeneration from seed is generally good. It reproduces freely from coppice. 

Artificial Regeneration:

• Propagated by direct sowing and vegetative cuttings.

Seed Collection and Storage:

• The tree produces abundant seed annually.
• Pods are collected from the tree in months of January - February.
• Seeds are extracted after beating the pods and removing the husk.
• weighs 14000 seeds/kg
• Seeds can be stored for 2 years under ordinary conditions.

Seed Treatment:

• No pre- treatment is desirable, as the untreated seeds give best results.
• Germination capacity 75 - 80 %
• The germinative capacity of seed from young coppice growth is lower than that from old trees.

Nursery Technique:

• The seeds are sown in mother bed and two leaf stage seedlings are transferred to polybags.
• Germination percentage is 50-75 %.

Plantation technique :

• Planting out is carried out during July in 30 cm3 pits
• Under dry conditions, pit size of 60 cm3 with a spacing of 3x3 m
• Planting should be carried out after the commencement of monsoon

Care & Disease Control :

• Cattle proof fence is necessary for young seedlings that are browsed and damaged by cattle.
• Weeding and soil working should be done in first two years.

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 :

• 25-30 years.  

Yield :

• Approximately 150-200 tons/ha*

        *Subject to varry according to site factors.

Major uses :

Wood:

• Timber is locally used for house-building , post, beams, rafters, ploughs, agricultural implements, constructional work and carving
• It is also suitable for tool handles and mallet heads         

Fodder:

• Leaves are good fodder for cattle.
• Leaves also used green manure of paddy crops. 

Market details :

Approximately Rs.3200 to Rs.3500/ton* *Subject to change according to market demands