Influence of Site Factors and Age Gradation on Productivity of Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) Plantation
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Date
2017-06
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University of Agricultural Science, Dharwad
Abstract
Biomass productivity and carbon sequestration potential of rubber plantation in two ecological zones based on annual rainfall distribution viz., Mundgod (798 mm) and Sagara (1918 mm) of Karnataka in age gradation of 4, 7 and 10 year were studied in College of Forestry, Sirsi (UAS, Dharwad) in the year 2016-2017. Observations on growth parameters such as height and diameter at breast height were recorded in 20 m × 20 m plot and average per hectare of basal area and volume productivity was calculated.
Hevea brasiliensis plantation of Sagara at 4, 7 and 10 year recorded maximum volume production of 18.44 m3 ha-1, 57.65 m3 ha-1 and 119.05 m3 ha-1, respectively which may be due to favourable climatic and edaphic conditions coupled with soil nutrient fertility. While, significantly lower volume production of 9.39 m3 ha-1, 30.82 m3 ha-1 and m3 ha-1 was recorded in 4, 7 and 10 year respectively in Mundgod zone which may be due to climatic variation prevailing in the zone. In Sagara zone, carbon sequestration potential of rubber plantation recorded was significantly higher in 10 year (70.61 t ha-1), followed by 7 (37.55 t ha-1) and 4 year (15.31 t ha-1) plantation, while it recorded comparatively lower in age gradation of 10 (48.23 t ha-1), 7 (21.92 t ha-1) and 4 year (8.61 t ha-1) rubber plantation of Mundgod zone. The pH of both the zone were predominantly acidic in nature ranging from 4.29 to 4.81. The status of soil chemical properties was considerably high in Mundgod ranging from electrical conductivity (0.18 to 0.25 dS m-1), organic carbon (0.60 - 0.95 %) and primary soil nutrients such as available nitrogen (308.22 - 342.88 kg ha-1), phosphorous (25.72 - 29.30 kg ha-1) and potassium (180.30 - 199.57 kg ha-1) while Sagara zone experienced low soil nutrient fertility due to higher nutrient uptake by trees and leaching loss characterized by site.