CHARACTERIZATION OF AERIAL ROOTS OF Ficus benghalensis Linn. WITH RESPECT TO TREE GROWTH CHARACTERS
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Date
2022
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College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar
Abstract
A field experiment entitled “Characterization of aerial roots of Ficus benghalensis Linn. with respect to tree growth characters” was carried out during the year 2021-2022 by selecting total 80 numbers of trees from 4 size of diameter classes D1 (<30cm), D2 (30-60cm), D3 (60-90) and D4 (>90cm) from Jhalawar locations. The vital tree growth characters, characterization of aerial root forming trees and their soil character were studied as part the investigation. The open grown trees in absence of neighbour competition utilized unlimited light and space, resulted in wider crown spread, lesser crown height branched profusely to provide stability and mechanical strength. The higher slenderness index of D1 and D2 class indicates decreased stability there by more vulnerable to damage in comparison to big trees which intern seems to be producing aerial roots in initial period itself for their survival that persisted in subsequent diameter classes. Though aerial roots formation reported both from primary and secondary branches but 98% of primary and secondary branches reported to form aerial roots in D4 class while 85% and 88% in primary and secondary branches respectively from D2 class. Further, 38% of buttress root formation in our study that too 45% each in D3 and D4 class has also expressed an explicit interrelation with aerial root formation. A strong correlation exists between cluster distance, base height of aerial roots with trees and crown size where minimum 41.59 to maximum 146.15 aerial root cluster per trees were reported to spread distance from 0.16m to 8.09m from the centre of the stem axis. Also, the base height of aerial roots in taller trees (D4 class) begin to cling above ground from minimum 3.11m to 6.75m compared to trees of lesser height (D2 class) that found clinging from 2.07m to 3.83m. Regarding the gap length of aerial roots, the bigger trees reported to produce longer aerial roots just short of 3.86m (D1 class) to 1.03m (D3 class) vertical length to reach the ground. The diameter and moisture % of aerial roots showed positive relation with tree size where the smaller root diameter(5.18mm) reported lesser moisture% (43.15%) compared to higher moisture% (47.15%) from higher diameter of aerial root (7.52mm). The soil analysis of current study reported the higher content of available Nitrogen (218.17kg/ha), available Phosphorus (35.18kg/ha), available Potassium. (316.87kg/ha), pH (7.19), EC(0.49dS/m) and bulk density (1.41g/cc) in D1 class. While highest soil moisture (10.01%) and organic carbon (0.6%) found in D4 class.
Keywords- Aerial roots, base height, cluster distance, crown projection ratio, gap length, moisture percentage, slenderness index.