Host plant species influencing the growth performanceof sandalwood (Santalum album L.) seedlingsin the nursery

Abstract

TAn experiment was conducted at College of Forestry, Sirsi in order toknow the most favourable host plant species influencing the growthof sandalwood in nursery. Nine different host plant species, viz.,Albizia lebbeck, Acacia auriculiformis, Melia dubia, Casia fistula,Cajanus cajan, Casuarina equisetifolia, Dalbergia latifolia, Mimosapudica and Simarouba glauca along with the control (sandal seedlingswithout any host plant) were evaluated based on growth performance(seedling collar diameter, seedling height, number of leaves per seedling,fresh and dry weight of root, shoot and of complete seedling andquality indices) of sandal seedlings. From the results maximum increasein collar diameter (mm), seedling height (cm), number of leaves, rootand shoot biomass, sturdiness quotient and quality index ofsandalwood seedlings is noticed when planted with Albizia lebbeck(T2) and Dalbergia latifolia (T8). Among the sandalwood seedlings,those grown along with legume hosts in general gave better results ascompared to non leguminous hosts and control