Role of Poplar in Sustainable Development of India

The low productivity of forests in India and the growing needs of increasing population are among the major causes behind unsustainable exploitation of our natural forests and draining out of foreign exchange for importing wood. About 60,000 hectare equivalent of poplar (Populus deltoides) stands exist under agroforestry system in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal. The productivity of such plantations of poplar is about 5 times of productivity of forest plantations. Presently the estimated annual demand for nursery plants (ETPs) of poplar is 10 million which is needed for establishing plantations on about 25000 hectare agricultural land every year. Interest in poplar cultivation is rapidly increasing in non-conventional but potential areas comprising eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and West-Bengal. Clonal trials of outstanding clones of P deltoides are underway in suitable areas/locations of Indian Farm Forestry Development Cooperative Ltd. in Uttar Pradesh and such efforts are also being extended to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Encouraging results have been achieved in association with different crops. The best growth in clone G48 was noticed when cultivated with banana. However, 63-N and 25-N clones outperformed other clones in partly reclaimed sodic lands in Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. New clones developed through inter- and intra-specific breeding as well as through introduction of fresh germ plasm from the USA, are in the testing phase at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. In view of surplus agricultural production in India, poplar-based agroforestry can be further promoted in sugarcane growing areas. There is a considerable scope for extension of poplar in culturable wastelands, fallow lands and partly reclaimed saline areas with irrigation facilities in many parts of the country in order to productively utilize such lands. Poplar cultivation in degraded and marginal lands of IFFDC Ltd. has been discussed vis-a-vis extension of poplar cultivation area, clonal suitability, site conditions, cultivation practice, diversification of end uses and carbon sequestration for sustainable development of diversified agriculture in India.