Effect of <I>Eucalyptus tereticornis</I> Shelterbelt on Young Teak Plantation : a Case Study

Abstract

Observations were made on 52 month old Teak plantation on a private company land at Bhavnagar planted along the western side of Eucalyptus tereticornis shelterbelt. The growth of Teak plants showed that the shelterbelt of E. tereticornis of average growth parameters of 20.6 m height 21.3 cm dbh and 28.1 cm collar diameter, affect the growth of Teak plants upto a distance of 180 m. Teak maintained the maximum average growth data of 9.2 m height, 10.2 cm dbh and 14.0 cm collar diameter in open area. The maximum reduction in growth parameters as observed in the first row of plants at 4.0 m from shelterbelt viz., 48.9% in height, 61.8% in dbh and 50.7% in collar diameter in comparison to the plants in open area. The concentration of per cent organic matter, available nitrogen, extractable cations viz., Ca, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Co were significantly higher and K and Mg were slightly lower in plantation area than in agricultural field. However, the concentration of the cations were lowest near the shelterbelt (0.5 m) and highest at 4.0 m distance from the shelterbelt. Thus it showed that nutrient availability in general and light in particular accounted for the poor growth of Teak plants beneath the canopy of shelterbelt.