The Hindu Business Line : TNAU research meet urges raising trees as farm enterprise

Coimbatore, May 5 The annual research meet on forestry called by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has highlighted on the need to continue research on bio-fuel crops and the scope for raising trees as farm enterprise such as coconut farming.

The meet has urged the researchers to identify suitable tree species and develop appropriate technologies that will contribute for income generation.

Presiding over the research meet held at the university recently, the TNAU Vice- Chancellor, Dr C. Ramasamy, pointed out that research on trees, a neglected area, needs to be strengthened in the light of issues such as global warming, soil and water conservation and the need for bio-fuels.

He also emphasised on the need to pursue research for developing elite bio-fuel crop varieties for varied agro climatic zones, especially for jatropha.

Growing trees in farms will assume greater importance since large agricultural lands lying fallow either as a temporary phenomenon or as permanent fallows and according to Dr Ramasamy, Tamil Nadu alone accounts for about two million hectares of fallow lands whose potential remained underutilised on account of scarcity of water, labour or capital.

Farm management through mulching for soil moisture retention and microbial application to enhance tree growth are priority research areas, he felt.

The meet, in which about 50 TNAU scientists involved in forestry research attended, was held to assess current status of research and finalise the action plan for the forthcoming year.

Some of the thrust areas of research proposed for the current year are micro propagation technique for development of jatropha, to identify tree species to be tried in effluent affected areas for bio-drainage of effluents, to fabricate machinery for bamboo harvest to overcome labour scarcity and developing elite planting material for bio-fuels.

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