Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) propagation - a review.

摘要

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is an economically important multipurpose tree for agroforestry, wasteland development and dry land horticulture. The tree has gained great socioeconomic significance due to its diversified uses and capacity to withstand adverse agroclimatic conditions. Although, tamarind has a commercial potential, very little effort has been made to improve it as a crop plant and most of the plantations are still of seedling origin. Seedling plants have a relatively long gestation period and are believed to be primarily outcrossing which alters the outstanding merit of a plant. Prolonged juvenile phase has also been observed in plants raised through seeds. Conventional breeding being time consuming, the trees having superior characteristic could be selected for clonal propagation to produce fast growing trees of commercial use by vegetative methods and tissue culture. Approximately 60 research papers on different propagation methods of tamarind are summarized in the form of a comprehensive review so that the gaps in research could easily be identified for further investigation..