vue - Innovative Nursery for raising Malaivembu (Melia dubia),Tamil Nadu,India

This parctice has been developed by Smt Indra Ramanathan,Kallipatti village in Erode district . This practice focuses on facilitating the nursery germination and plantation of the Malaivembu Melubia, a tree found grown in forest area in India. It is a fast growing tree crop producing greater bio-mass in relatively shorter period. Local farmers prefer to cultivate this in Agro-forestry system of cropping in their own land. These trees are soft-wood trees suitable for plywood production and paper pulp industry, which make them the favorites for farmers to cultivate in Agro-forestry. It will grow well in fertile soil with ample moisture supply. The tree will grow erect with single trunk up to 10 feet height and more without branching by proper pruning of side shoots. It is suited as short term ( 2-3 years)as well as long term crop (7-15 years). As the seed has a tough seed-coat, not allowing water to penetrate easily, the germination becomes rather difficult. With innovative practice developed by Smt Indra Ramanatahn the germination difficulties are solved by softening the coat of the seed as shown in the video. First she tried to break the seed coat by putting them in compost pit, treatment with cow dung solution but this didn’t work out. Then she wanted to loosen the seed coat by allowing to rot / decompose partly in the cow dung heap for about 2 months, so that the hardness of seed coat is softened and lessened. When the seed coat becomes soft, the seed kernel is removed carefully without any damage and dibbled in seed bed specially made The seed bed is prepared by mixing red soil and fine sand. The seed kernels are dibbled evenly and water is sprinkled twice a day in the morning and evening uniformly. The seed bed is covered with poly-spread shed so as to maintain optimum temperature and moisture. The seeds will start germinate in about 3 months time. Only 30% of seeds alone will germinate. When the seedlings have grown to two leaf stage, they are uprooted carefully without damage to root-system and planted in 1 foot high polythene bags filled with soil and organic manure. Whenever there is rain, the excess water to be drained off. Otherwise the young seedlings in the polythene bags are likely to rot. To avoid this, polythene sheet is spread over the young seedlings. Sprinkler system has been designed by her so that the sprinkler tubes will pass on just above the seedlings bed and the bed is covered with polythene sheet above in order to prevent rain water which will fall on the seedlings to prevent damping off. The seedlings will grow to 2 feet high in another 30 days, when they can be ready for supply to farmers to plant in the main field. By seeing the profitable cultivation of Malaivembu trees she started raising 60,000 trees in her field. The neighbouring farmers were also interested in planting the trees in their field. She initially raised 1000 seedlings and supplied to the neighbouring farmers. Once a TV channel has covered her innovation and many people came forward for supply order of 50,000 seedlings. She has so far supplied 12,000 seedlings and also busy in raising and supplying seedlings to other farmers as per their demand and her convenience. Mrs. Indra Ramanathan, Ramu gounder garden, Kalli patti Kanakkanpalayam(Post) Erode District. TamilNadu, India Documented by : P.Vivekanandan,SEVA,Madurai,Tamil Nadu,India 0452-2380082 vivekseva2015@gmail.com