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Nursery Technique
Sowing in nursery beds should be done in drills 15 cm apart, the seeds being 2.5 cm apart in the
lines. They should be lightly covered with earth, since seed germinating on the surface of the bed is
liable to have its radical eaten off by birds or insects. The beds should be sparingly watered and soil
kept loose to prevent caking. Seedlings may be pricked out at 15 cm x 15 cm when about 2 months
old. They do not require any shaded. Soil working and weeding are very beneficial. In frost localities,
the plants need to be protected by means of screens.
lines. They should be lightly covered with earth, since seed germinating on the surface of the bed is
liable to have its radical eaten off by birds or insects. The beds should be sparingly watered and soil
kept loose to prevent caking. Seedlings may be pricked out at 15 cm x 15 cm when about 2 months
old. They do not require any shaded. Soil working and weeding are very beneficial. In frost localities,
the plants need to be protected by means of screens.
Formation of Stands
There is generally little difficulty in obtaining regeneration of neem by artificial means. It can be easily
raised by direct sowing or by planting entire seedlings or from root-and-shoot cuttings. For forest
purposes, however, direct sowing is the most usual method and has proved more successful than
planting, provided the seed is sown as soon as possible after collection. On a plantation scale, the
tree can be raised successfully in combination with field crops such as arhar by the taungya or
agri-silvi method, provided protection against animal damage is assured.
There is generally little difficulty in obtaining regeneration of neem by artificial means. It can be easily
raised by direct sowing or by planting entire seedlings or from root-and-shoot cuttings. For forest
purposes, however, direct sowing is the most usual method and has proved more successful than
planting, provided the seed is sown as soon as possible after collection. On a plantation scale, the
tree can be raised successfully in combination with field crops such as arhar by the taungya or
agri-silvi method, provided protection against animal damage is assured.
Direct Sowing. Direct sowings are quite easy and have been successfully done by dibbling in bushes,
broadcast sowing and sowing in lines or mounds, or ridges, in trenches, sunken beds or circular
saucers, depending on the site conditions.
broadcast sowing and sowing in lines or mounds, or ridges, in trenches, sunken beds or circular
saucers, depending on the site conditions.
Dibbling in Bushes. In Ajmer, neem seen has been successfully dibbled under Euphorbia bushes;
small pits are made and 3-5 seeds sown in each pit and covered.
small pits are made and 3-5 seeds sown in each pit and covered.
Broadcast Sowing. This may be done on ploughed and unploughed land. Very good results are
obtained by ploughing up the ground twice. Experiments in Tamil Nadu have shown that early
ploughing during pre-monsoon showers gives significantly better results than ploughing when the
monsoon has set in. In arid areas, ploughing should be done in early spring when the soil is just
moist after the winter rains.
obtained by ploughing up the ground twice. Experiments in Tamil Nadu have shown that early
ploughing during pre-monsoon showers gives significantly better results than ploughing when the
monsoon has set in. In arid areas, ploughing should be done in early spring when the soil is just
moist after the winter rains.
Sowing in Lines. This has been done with success generally under the taungya method. In
Maharashtra, neem is grown along with babul in line sowings in combination with field crops; here
neem is used as a buffer species to control the insect attack to which babul is susceptible. After clear
felling the standing growth and grubbing out the stumps, the areas is cultivated for two years with any
field crop. In the third years, babul is sown in lines 4.5-5.5 m apart; smaller intervals, earlier tried,
proved too close to suit the field crops, usually cotton, sesamum and arhar (Cajanus cajan).
Cultivation is continued in the fourth and fifth years, blanks in the lines being filled by further sowing. It
may be extended by two more years in exceptional cases if in the meantime the lines have been
stocked with adequate seedlings. Elsewhere, sowing in lines 3 m apart on tilled soil has given good
results.
Maharashtra, neem is grown along with babul in line sowings in combination with field crops; here
neem is used as a buffer species to control the insect attack to which babul is susceptible. After clear
felling the standing growth and grubbing out the stumps, the areas is cultivated for two years with any
field crop. In the third years, babul is sown in lines 4.5-5.5 m apart; smaller intervals, earlier tried,
proved too close to suit the field crops, usually cotton, sesamum and arhar (Cajanus cajan).
Cultivation is continued in the fourth and fifth years, blanks in the lines being filled by further sowing. It
may be extended by two more years in exceptional cases if in the meantime the lines have been
stocked with adequate seedlings. Elsewhere, sowing in lines 3 m apart on tilled soil has given good
results.
Sowing on Mounds or Ridges. This is indicated for heavy soils. In Nasik district, Maharashtra, sowing
on mounds (about 70cm high, 60cm in diameter at the top and 2m diameter at the base) in poor soil,
on top formation has given satisfactory results, the plants reaching 90 cm height, 16 months after
sowing. In Bellary district, Karnataka, sowing on mounds 3.7m x 1.2m x 46 cm in row 2.7 m apart on
thick cotton soil proved successful, the plants attaining a maximum height of 1.4 m in one year after
sowing.
on mounds (about 70cm high, 60cm in diameter at the top and 2m diameter at the base) in poor soil,
on top formation has given satisfactory results, the plants reaching 90 cm height, 16 months after
sowing. In Bellary district, Karnataka, sowing on mounds 3.7m x 1.2m x 46 cm in row 2.7 m apart on
thick cotton soil proved successful, the plants attaining a maximum height of 1.4 m in one year after
sowing.
Sowing in Trenches etc.. On dry sites any of the several methods employed for conservation of
moisture continuous or interrupted trenches viz. ’Tummala method’ developed in Tamil Nadu in which
the trenches are aligned at an angle of 450 to the contours, ‘sunken beds’ in vogue in Karnataka, or
‘saucer method’ adopted in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu would be useful for successful direct
sowing.
moisture continuous or interrupted trenches viz. ’Tummala method’ developed in Tamil Nadu in which
the trenches are aligned at an angle of 450 to the contours, ‘sunken beds’ in vogue in Karnataka, or
‘saucer method’ adopted in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu would be useful for successful direct
sowing.