Chapter 7 (Part 3): Artificial Regeneration
Chapter 7 (Part 3)
Artificial Regeneration: Field Planting Operations, Spacing, Patterns & Post-Planting Maintenance
1. Key Concepts
Field Planting: Transfer of nursery-raised seedlings, transplants, stumps, or cuttings into their permanent positions in a plantation area.
Stump Planting: Planting using a specially prepared root-and-shoot cutting consisting of a short stem portion and taproot, with lateral roots pruned.
Ball of Earth Planting: Transplanting seedlings with an intact ball of nursery soil around the roots to prevent root exposure and desiccation.
Planting Pattern: Geometric spatial arrangement according to which planting pits or plants are laid out across a plantation site.
Beating Up: Replacement of dead or dying seedlings in a young plantation with fresh nursery stock to maintain full spatial stocking.
Nurse Crop: A temporary tree or shrub crop raised ahead of or simultaneously with the main crop to provide shade, frost protection, or soil enrichment.
Underplanting: Planting a shade-tolerant secondary species beneath the canopy of an established overwood crop.
2. Field Planting Methods & Techniques
A. Naked Root Planting
- Seedlings are lifted from nursery beds with roots exposed and free of soil.
- Generally limited to deciduous species during dormant winter periods or hardy conifers under moist atmospheric conditions.
B. Ball of Earth Planting
- Seedlings are lifted with a ball of nursery soil surrounding the root system.
- Essential for sensitive species, large saplings, and planting in arid or dry tracts.
C. Stump Planting
- Shoot is severed 2.5 cm above the root collar.
- Taproot is trimmed to 15–22 cm; collar diameter is generally 1–2 cm.
- Lateral roots are pruned to form a clean, pencil-like stump.
- Commonly used for Teak, Shisham, and Rosewood.
Remember: Standard stump dimensions are a short shoot of 2.5 cm and a taproot of 15–22 cm.
D. Container Planting
- Seedlings raised in polybags, root trainers, or planting bricks are planted directly into field pits.
- Maintaining the root-soil unit helps minimize root shock and improve field survival.
E. Cuttings / Sets
- Branch cuttings, stem cuttings, or root sets are used for vegetative propagation.
- Examples include Poplar, Willow, Tamarix, and bamboos.
| Planting Method | Material / Technique | Suitable Species / Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Naked root | Bareroot seedlings lifted without soil. | Hardy species in moist, cloudy zones; winter planting of deciduous trees. |
| Ball of earth | Seedlings with intact soil ball wrapped in grass or hessian. | Sensitive species, broad-leaved evergreens, dry-zone plantations. |
| Stump planting | Root-and-shoot cutting with 2.5 cm shoot and 15–22 cm taproot. | Tectona grandis, Dalbergia sissoo, Gmelina arborea, Pterocarpus. |
| Container planting | Polybag or root-trainer seedlings. | Modern plantations and difficult planting sites. |
| Cuttings / sets | Branch, stem, or root cuttings. | Populus deltoides, Salix spp., Tamarix, bamboos. |
3. Soil Preparation & Pit / Trench Working
A. Pitting
- Pits are excavated in advance, preferably during summer, to allow weathering and aeration of soil.
- Standard dimensions for small plants: 30 × 30 × 30 cm.
- Larger stock or dry sites may require larger pits, such as 45 cm or 60 cm dimensions.
- Excavated soil is piled on the downhill side and refilled with topsoil before planting.
Planting pit sequence: Dig pits in advance → allow soil weathering → refill with topsoil → plant during early monsoon rains.
B. Trench Planting & Contour Working
Continuous Contour Trenches (CCT)
Continuous trenches excavated along contour lines on steep slopes to trap runoff water and eroded silt.
Staggered Contour Trenches (SCT)
Discontinuous trenches arranged in a staggered, checkerboard pattern across hill slopes to arrest erosion.
Gradoni
Small continuous steps or narrow terraces cut along hill contours and sloping inward.
4. Post-Planting Maintenance & Cultural Operations
A. Beating Up (Casualty Replacement)
- Replaces dead or dying seedlings with fresh, vigorous nursery stock.
- First beating up is carried out 2–3 weeks after planting, during the same monsoon.
- Secondary beating up is conducted at the beginning of the second monsoon season.
B. Standard Weeding Schedule
| Plantation Year | Number of Weedings | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| First year | 3 | Early monsoon, mid-monsoon, and post-monsoon. |
| Second year | 2 | Early and late monsoon. |
| Third year | 1 | Mid-monsoon. |
Easy memory trick – Weeding schedule:
3 – 2 – 1
First year: 3 weedings → Second year: 2 weedings → Third year: 1 weeding.
C. Nurse Crops & Cover Crops
- Leguminous cover crops help suppress weeds, add nitrogen, and protect seedlings from intense heat or frost.
- Examples: Cajanus cajan, Tephrosia candida, and Indigofera species.
5. Geometric Planting Patterns
Square Pattern
Equal spacing in perpendicular rows; allows two-way mechanized weeding.
Rectangular Pattern
Inter-row distance is greater than within-row distance; facilitates tractor passage.
Triangular Pattern
Plants form equilateral triangles; approximately 15.5% more plants than square layout.
Quincunx Pattern
Square grid with an additional temporary plant at the centre.
Contour Line Planting
Plants are aligned along contour lines to reduce runoff and soil erosion.
| Pattern | Geometric Layout | Relative Density / Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Square | Equal distances in perpendicular rows (s × s). | Standard layout; two-way cross-mechanized weeding. |
| Rectangular | Row distance is greater than within-row distance. | Allows tractor or plough movement between rows. |
| Triangular | Plants at vertices of equilateral triangles. | Approximately 15.5% more plants per unit area than square pattern. |
| Quincunx | Square grid plus a central temporary plant. | Doubles initial density; central plant removed during early thinning. |
| Contour | Plants aligned along contour lines. | Reduces runoff and erosion on slopes. |
6. Operational Flowcharts
A. Field Plantation Work Sequence
Site Clearance & Fencing
↓
Survey & Alignment Layout
↓
Advance Soil Working / Pit Digging
↓
Pit Refilling with Topsoil
↓
Field Planting During Early Monsoon
↓
Beating Up + Weeding + Fire Protection
B. Beating Up Process
Inspect Newly Established Plantation
↓
Identify Dead or Dying Seedlings
↓
Replace with Healthy Nursery Stock
↓
Maintain Full Plantation Stocking
7. Formulae & Quantitative Metrics
A. Number of Plants – Square Pattern
N = A / s²
N = Number of plants; A = Total area (m²); s = Spacing (m).
B. Number of Plants – Rectangular Pattern
N = A / (d₁ × d₂)
d₁ = Inter-row distance; d₂ = Intra-row plant distance.
C. Number of Plants – Equilateral Triangular Pattern
N = A / (0.866 × s²)
Triangular layout gives approximately 1.1547 times the square-pattern density.
Example: For an area of 10,000 m² and spacing of 4 m × 4 m:
Square pattern = 10,000 / 16 = 625 plants.
Triangular pattern = 10,000 / (0.866 × 16) ≈ 722 plants.
8. Important Scientific Names
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Planting Application |
|---|---|---|
| Teak | Tectona grandis | Classic stump planting species. |
| Shisham | Dalbergia sissoo | Stumps or naked-root transplants. |
| Poplar | Populus deltoides | Entire transplants (ETPs) or stem cuttings. |
| Willow | Salix spp. | Unrooted branch cuttings or sets. |
| Arhar / Pigeon pea | Cajanus cajan | Leguminous nurse crop in line plantations. |
9. Important One-Liner Facts
- Teak stump: 2.5 cm shoot + 15–22 cm taproot; collar diameter 1–2 cm.
- Triangular pattern: Approximately 15.47% more plants than square pattern at the same spacing.
- Beating up: Usually within 2–3 weeks of initial planting during the same monsoon.
- First-year weeding: Three weedings.
- Second-year weeding: Two weedings.
- Third-year weeding: One weeding.
- Quincunx: Square pattern with one additional central temporary plant.
- Nurse crop: Temporary crop providing shade, protection, or soil enrichment.
- CCT and SCT: Contour trench systems used to arrest runoff and soil erosion.
10. Mnemonics & Memory Tricks
Field Planting Methods – N-B-S-C-E
N – B – S – C – E
- N – Naked root planting
- B – Ball of earth planting
- S – Stump planting
- C – Container planting
- E – Entire transplants / Cuttings
Weeding Schedule – 3-2-1
3 → 2 → 1
Three weedings in year one, two in year two, and one in year three.
Plant Density Formula Reminder
- Square: Divide area by s².
- Rectangular: Divide area by row spacing × plant spacing.
- Triangular: Divide area by 0.866 × s².
11. Quick Revision Box
- Stump planting: 2.5 cm shoot + 15–22 cm taproot.
- Triangular pattern: Holds about 15.5% more plants than square pattern.
- Quincunx: Square layout + one central temporary plant.
- Beating up: Replace casualties within 2–3 weeks.
- Weeding: 3 in first year, 2 in second year, 1 in third year.
- Nurse crop: Temporary crop for shade, protection, or nitrogen enrichment.
- Contour trenches: CCT and SCT reduce runoff on slopes.
- Poplar: Entire transplants or stem cuttings.
- Willow: Branch cuttings or sets.
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