Improved tamarind grafts yield high quality

fruits from the fourth year of planting.

s.eswara reddy

THE TAMARIND (Tamarindus indica) is a hardy tree well adapted to the semi-arid
tropics.
This economically important tree is ideal for farm-forestry in the drought-prone regions.
It is popularly referred to as Indian dates.
The tamarind tree can serve as an insurance crop and a "pension crop" for the farmers in
the dry belts.
A few promising early-bearing varieties with high yield potential and attractive fruit
qualities are now available for the growers.
Some of the most popular varieties in the south are "PKM-1", "Pradishtan" and "Origam".
The grafted plants of these high-yielding varieties are being grown by several farmers in
Andhra Pradesh either as isolated trees or in commercially viable groves in dry tracts.
Tamarind comes up well in a wide range of soils in varied agro-climatic zones in the
southern peninsula.
The improved grafts are ideal for commercial plantation as they commence bearing from
the fourth year of planting.
Their yield is also quite high. For instance, "PKM-1" has an average yield of 263.3 kg of
fruits per tree in a year compared to 165 kg of fruits per tree by the traditional varieties.
From the fifth year, "PKM-1" can yield about 50 kg of fruits per tree per year, and the
yields from the tenth year will be above 250 kg a year. From 250 kg of fruits, roughly 80
kg of tamarind pulp can be extracted.
The improved varieties are ideally suited for high density planting following the
hexagonal (or triangular) method of planting, which will accommodate more number of
trees in a unit area.
A spacing of 10 m by 5 m has been recommended for commercial planting, and about
250 trees will be enough to cover a hectare.
The young and robust grafts from a reliable source should be used for planting. Pits of
75 cm by 75 cm by 75 cm are to be dug and filled with ripe organic manure at the time
of planting.
Planting should be done in September-October when there is sufficient moisture in the
soil. In the initial stages of growth, the plants may need some watering especially during
the hot summer months.
Small quantities of vermi-compost fortified with some beneficial microorganisms such
as Trichoderma viride, Psuedomonas andvesicular arbuscular mycrorhiza (VAM) will
prove to be highly beneficial and rewarding. The tree is not attacked by many pests and
diseases. When established well in the soil with their extensive and expansive root
system, the plants do not need watering at all.
The trees should, however, be given adequate nutrition through enriched organic
composts once a year, and earthed up around the base of the trunk. Care should be
taken to nip off the flowers in the first three years.
Tamarind allows intercropping with a variety of annual crops. Vegetables and legumes
can be grown in the interspaces in the first four to five years to augment farm income
and add soil fertility. Once fully established, the trees will ensure regular income to the
grower even when other annual crops fail at times of protracted drought.