Over the years, the department has made significant progress in research:
- Recommended nine poplar clones (PL–1, PL–2, PL–3, PL–4, PL–5, PL–6, PL–7, L–47/88 and L–48/89) and three Eucalyptus clones (C-413, C-72, C-2045) for commercial cultivation in different agro-climatic zones of Punjab.
- Planting of Poplar and Dek in water channels: Make channels at the time of wheat sowing to irrigate poplars or dek during wheat maturity and harvesting. It will not reduce growth of plants due to water stress.
- Amelioration of Zn deficiency: Standardized the doze of zinc sulphate to ameliorate the Zn deficiency in poplar nursery and plantation.
- Fertilizer Requirement of Poplar Plantations: The fertilizer dose, timing and its method of application to poplar plantations during their different growth years were standardized for obtaining higher productivity from poplar based agroforestry system. In medium N soils, it is recommended to apply 80, 120, 160, 200, 240 and 280 g/plant N during 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th year of poplar growth, respectively. In low N soils, apply 25% more and in high N soils apply 25% less N than these doses.
- Time of Application: Every year, apply 1/3rd N during May after harvesting of wheat, 1/3rd N in July and the remaining 1/3rd N in September. There is no need of P application to poplar every year.
- Wheat varieties under Poplar Plantations: Wheat cv. PBW 725 and PBW 677 should be preferred over other varieties for sowing in poplar plantations.
- Nutrient requirement of clonal Eucalyptus: Apply 50 g SSP in each pit at the planting time of eucalyptus. Thereafter, apply Urea:DAP:MOP @ 45:50:35, 95:90:65, 150:130:100, 190:170:135, 240:220:165 and 290:260:200 g/plant or Urea:SSP:MOP @ 65:125:35, 130:250:65, 200:375:100, 260:500:135, 325:625:165 and 390:750:200 g/plant during 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th year of tree growth, respectively. Apply potassium only in the potassium deficient soils. Every year, apply whole of P, K and 1/3rd N during April, 1/3 rd N in July and the remaining 1/3 rd N in October.
- Weed control in poplar nursery: Uniformly spread 4 t/acre paddy straw mulch immediately after planting cuttings. Alternatively, uniform spreading of black plastic mulch (in strips or by making holes) after first irrigation provides effective control of weeds in poplar nursery.
- Dek varieties: PAU Dek 1 and PAU Dek 2 recommended for commercial cultivation in Punjab.
- Onion cultivation under poplar plantation: Onion variety PRO-7 is suitable for cultivation under poplar and gave an average yield of 92.3q/acre. Optimum time for transplanting onion under poplar is mid-December.
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