Clonal propagation of economically important endemic trees of Western Ghats through air layering: Part-I

Abstract

The endemic plants of the Western Ghats of Peninsular India are facing severe threat of endangerment due to various reasons. Concomitantly, many of these plants especially the trees are lacking any kind of propagation and multiplication strategies and are under brink of depletion even without keeping an alternate genetic stock. Hence, as part of the study on the rescue and restoration of endemic and RET plants of the Western Ghats, four economically important endemic trees such as Calophyllum calaba Linn., Gluta travancorica Bedd., Hopea parviflora Bedd. and Poeciloneuron indicum Bedd. were investigated for their clonal rooting ability along with other species. The ring air layering on the lateral branches of the young stands of 3-5 year old was achieved with 40-60% success for the first time on IBA application at 1000 ppm during the months of August - September. The success of air layering can be extended as a low cost and viable propagation method for multiplication and subsequent restoration, which in turn ensure the availability of materials for utilization without affecting natural population in the long run.