Description
SANDAL SEEDS : Sandal fruits are collected fresh from the tree or as soon as they have fallen on the ground during April-May and September-October. They are soaked in water and rubbed to remove the soft pulp. The wet seeds are dried under shade and dry seeds stored in polythene or gunny bags. About 6,000 seeds weigh to a kilogram. Fresh seeds take 4 to 12 weeks to germinate after dormancy period. Eighty percent of seeds are viable upto 9 months. Germination is about 80 percent under laboratory conditions and 60 percent under field conditions. PRETREATMENT : Germination can be hastened by soaking seeds in 0.05% gibberellic acid over night and then sowing, which ensures uniform germination. Soaking seeds in cowdung slurry will not improve germination. -ACID SCARIFICATION WITH CONCENTRATED H2SO4 FOR 30 MINUTES WITH STRRING AND WASHING IN RUNNING WATER. -SOAK THE SEEDS IN 0.05% GIBBERELLIC ACID OVERNIGHT. Nursery Techniques : The seed beds are either sunken or raised and covered with straw which is removed when the seedlings emerge. When seedlings attain 4 to 6 leaf stage, they are transplanted into polythene bags, along with seeds of a primary host tree Cajanus cajan. SOILS TYPE : It is capable of growing in different kinds of soils, even in shallow rocky soils, but cannot stand waterlogging. It can tolerate very high temperatures. The plant is highly succeptible to browsing and fire.
