Determination of Morphological and Physiological quality Parameters of Nursery Stock of Deodar (Cedrus deodara) and Ban oak (Quercus leucotrichophora).

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Principal Investigator: Dr. Sandeep Sharma
Duration: 2007-2013
Achievement:

• Carried out surveys in >35 nurseries of SFD’s those were raising Deodar and Ban Oak stock regularly and also organized two no. of meetings with officials of HPSFD for getting information pertaining to existing practices. It was found that only one physical parameter was adopted in the SFD’s nurseries for measuring the quality of Deodar and Ban Oak nursery stock i.e. height (shoot length) of the nursery stock. According to that the stock is considered fit for planting or marked as quality stock if the height is 9” or more.
  
• Grading of nursery stock was done in the nursery before planting season. Accordingly graded stock raised in polybags as well as bare root was taken for establishing experimental plantations during 2008 and 2009 and subsequently for establishing gunny bag experiments during 2010 and 2011 rains and maintained during project period with observations recorded regularly.
  
• Established out-planting experiments in the field in natural zone of Deodar and Ban Oak in Shimla and Solan Forest Divisions and also in Shilly wildlife sanctuary during 2nd and third year of the project. It was found that polybag raised stock survived better in the field as compared with bare root stock in both the species.
  
• Ban Oak stock raised in polybags performed better in lower limits/elevation of occurrence of this species as compared to bare root stock. However, bare root stock performed well in higher limits of occurrence of this species. In good sites, stock height >9” was found to be good indicator of field performance in case of Deodar as well as Ban Oak nursery stock. In stress sites, stock height >15” was found as better parameter related to survival. Site conditions had direct correlation with type of planting stock their morphological grading and subsequent success rate in the field.
  
• Carried out studies for judging quality of Deodar & Ban Oak nursery stock based on RGP (Root Growth Potential) during 2010 and subsequently based on chlorophyll grading during 2011 and 2012 in the gunny bags in the nursery. Small height and diameter classes performed better in RGP trials. In chlorophyll grading, stock with dark green coloured foliage performed better than light/yellow coloured stock.