KFRI Research Report No - Kerala Forest Research Institute

While 83 per cent of the E. urophylla provenances yielded more than 30m 3 /ha/year, only 29 per cent of the E. tereticornis provenances gave more than 30m 3 /ha/year. E. urophylla is more water conserving than other eucalypt species grown aspulpwood species in Kerala (Kallarackal and Somen, 1998). Decreased water loss fromleaves leads to decreased soil water uptake. The water use efficiency of E. tereticornis ispoorer than other species of eucalypts. E. urophylla is tolerant to Cylindrocladium leafblight and resistant against pink disease. Hence, E. urophylla provenances can replace E.tereticornis in lowlands.3.2.2.4. E. camaldulensisIn general, the performance of E. camaldulensis provenances was poor. The highest yieldof 26 m 3 /ha/year was shown by the provenance W OF IRVINE BANK. The mean yieldof the tested 12 provenances was 16.0 m 3 /ha/year (Table 14). All the provenances werehighly susceptible to Cylindrocladium leaf blight (Fig.6) and most of them infected bypink disease (Fig.7). Nineteen provenances were screened during the previous study of1990 (Balasundaran et al., 2005). Among them, KATHERINE, CAPE RIVER,PETFORD and W OF IRVINE BANK were the better performers. Although, E.camaldulensis provenances are not suitable for Kerala which receives very high rainfall,this species is suitable for planting in low rainfall area with unfertile soil. Theprovenances suggested in table 15 are suitable for planting in such areas.3.2.2.5 E. pellitaThe performance of E. pellitta provenances varied widely (table 14). 71-72 KM NEWENLOCK gave the highest performance of 42.8 m 3 /ha/year not only among the E.pellita provenances but among all the provenances planted at Kottappara. E. pellitaprovenances were resistant against pink disease and Cylindrocladium leaf blight. Eventhough, E. pellita is not a water conserving species as E. urophylla, it is a better speciesthan E. tereticornis, E. camaldulensis and E. grandis (Kallarackal and Somen, 1998). Thebest performers among the E. pellita provenances were 71-72 KM NE WENLOCK,JULATTEN and BETWEEN GGOE KIRWA. BETWEEN GGOE KIRWA was the best20