Poplar Tree Farming: Get extra income by planting poplar trees

Agroforestry is the process of growing trees of commercial benefit along with the yield of crops in agriculture. Due to this, relatively higher production and income are achieved per unit of land. Due to the increasing population and dwindling forest resources, today, the importance of agroforestry has increased even more because, on the one hand, it produces different types of wood in the form of raw materials. On the other hand, the growth of trees and greenery also helps protect the environment.

The expansion of forests and their protection has been essential to prevent carbon dioxide and other polluting elements in the atmosphere. Expanding forests is also considered a natural and long-term process, but agroforestry is the most practical and immediate alternative. Through this, forest trees can be expanded by making more and more farmers participate in tree plantation. The poplar tree also has special importance in the matter of agroforestry.

Characteristics of Poplar Trees

Poplar (Populus deltoideus) is such a tree, which can provide an additional income of about Rs 3 lakh per acre to the farmers in 6 to 8 years while maintaining the productivity of the land. Poplar is a straight and fast-growing tree. Due to the shedding of its leaves in winter, there is no significant reduction in the amount of sunlight received by rabi crops.

Due to the straight-growing nature of Poplar, its shade does not cause any significant damage to Kharif crops. That’s why in the first two years of poplar mixed cropping, all rabi or kharif crops can be grown. Culturing shade-tolerant crops like turmeric, ginger, and poplar is very profitable after the third year. Then, wheat and other rabi crops and kharif fodder crops can also be grown easily till the harvesting of poplar trees.

Land and Varieties for Poplar Cultivation 

Deep and fertile soil has been found ideal for the commercial production of poplar trees, as poplar requires a lot of irrigation to grow rapidly. Therefore, such fields should be chosen for planting poplar plants, where proper drainage is arranged apart from irrigation. Wide varieties of Populous trees are prevalent, but according to the experts of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, the productivity of G-3 and G-48 is particularly good. 

How to prepare Poplar saplings? 

Poplar plants are prepared by grafting in the nursery. Cuttings should be planted from 15 January to 15 February. For this, 20-25 cm long cuttings with 3-4 eyes are cut from one year old plants. Then they are planted in well prepared beds at a distance of 60 to 80 cm. While planting the pen, 2/3 part of it should be buried in the ground and 1/3 part should be kept outside. At least one eye of the pen should be above the ground.

Planting of Poplar saplings in the fields

Irrigation should be done after planting the cuttings in the nursery. Irrigation at an interval of 7 to 10 days is very important to maintain moisture in the beds further. After one year i.e. by next January, plants are ready from these cuttings. For transplanting, choose such plants which are about one year old, whose height is about 4-5 feet and its stem is straight, as thick as the thumb and without branches. While getting the plants from a reliable nursery, farmers should see that they are of uniform growth and free from diseases.

For agroforestry, poplar plants should be planted in the field at a distance of about 5.5 meters. January 15 to February 15 is the best time for transplanting. For good growth, each poplar plant must get about 20-25 square meters of land to spread. One meter deep pit should be dug for plants in the field one month before planting. It is more beneficial to make rows of these pits in the north-south direction.

Fertilizer, Irrigation and Care

The soil taken out from the digging of the pit should not be put back in the pit. Rather, for this, 3 kg of cow dung manure, 100 grams of single super phosphate and 250 grams of neem cake and anti-termite medicine should be mixed in the soil of the upper surface of the ground. Then after making the plant stand in the pit, fill it with compost soil and press it well from all sides. Sufficient moisture should be maintained for the plants till the time of bringing from the nursery, transplanting and then till the rainy season.

Poplar trees should be given urea at the rate of 100 grams per plant per year. Irrigation is very important after applying urea. Poplar plants should be given plenty of water once a week in the first year. In the second year, irrigation should be done after 10 days in summer and after 15 days in winter and in the third year after 15 days in summer and after one month in winter. After that irrigation should be done as per requirement in dry season.

Buds growing on the lower one-third of the plants up to two years of age should be removed during April to August by rubbing them gently with pieces of gunny sack, because pruning is very important to prepare a good spherical tree of Poplar. From the third to the sixth year, the lower one-third to one-half of the branches should be pruned. Harvesting should be done very close to the stem and after harvesting, a paste of bordopaste or clay and cow dung should be applied on the open space. Efforts should be made in such a way that no branches are formed in the lower half of the poplar tree and the tree continues to grow in maximum length.

Prevention of Diseases

To prevent termites, make 0.1 percent solution of chloropyriphos and apply. Stem borer is also found in poplar. Therefore, if fine sawdust is seen in the hole of its stem, put kerosene oil on it and close the hole with a paste of clay.

Yield and Income

In 6 to 8 years, the thickness of the stems of poplar trees becomes about one meter at a height of about one and a half meters. This condition of the tree is right for its harvesting. The cost of such a tree ranges from two to three thousand rupees. Poplar wood is in great demand in matchbox, plywood, packing box and sporting goods industries. Above all, the income from agroforestry is in addition to the income from crops.

Also Read: Climate Change is the most serious problem in agriculture. How to overcome it?

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