underplanting rattan in rubber planttions - Kerala Forest Research ...

AABSTRACTfield experiment on the feasibility of introducing different rattan species asan undercrop in rubber plantations was carried out at Athirappally Estate(10 o 17’ North latitude and 76 o 27’ East latitude) Kalady Plantation of VazhachalDivision belonging to the Plantation Coporation of Kerala Limited. The initialestablishment rate of rattan seedlings in rubber plantation was promising withCalamus hookerianus Becc. and Calamus thwaitesii Becc. and Hook. f showingabove 90 per cent survival towards the end of 24 months. Seedlings of thesespecies also attained maximum height during this period. However, lack ofprotection, especially from grazing animals, brought down the survivalpercentage of the seedlings. Of the different species tried, Calamus hookerianusand C. thwaitesii were the promising ones that could recoup even after physicalinjury from grazing. Production of the climbing organ in rattan - the flagellum,started from the third year of underplanting. Management of this thorny whiplike organ that can interfere with tapping activity in rubber plantation is a veryimportant silvicultural aspect that has to be studied in detail before attemptinglarge scale underplanting of rattan in rubber plantations.i