SOURCE VARIATION IN KATTHA AND CUTCH CONTENTS IN KHAIR (ACACIA CATECHU WILLD.) IN SHIWALIK HILLS OF PUNJAB

摘要

To find out the source and within tree variations in kattha and cutch content, fifteen sources of khair were studied in the Shiwalik area of Punjab. To study within tree variation, kattha and cutch content was estimated taking samples from three different positions i.e. L_1 (at breast height), L_2 (50 % of tree height) and L_3 (75% of tree height). Dry kattha, cutch and total solid content varied significantly within sources as well as positions. Maximum kattha (5.3 gm/100 gm of heartwood) was recorded in trees sampled from Salari-III where as cutch content was maximum (7.6 gm/100 gm of heartwood) in trees selected from Dhar source. The lower portion (L_1) had maximum kattha content of 6.025 gm/100 gm of heartwood. Out of fifteen sources, Salari-III, Seonk, Pallanpur and Mansooh were found best with respect to kattha and cutch content.