CULTURAL PRACTICES FOR PAULOWNIA

LAND PREPARATION

• Prior to planting Paulownia, it must be ensured that the selected site is well drained, without any water logging (Paulownia cannot survive water logging for more than 2 to 3 days) The identified site should be thoroughly cleared of weeds.

• Dig pit of size 3x3x3ft. During digging of the pit, care should be thoroughly cleaned of weeds.

• The pit mixture should compose of well - decomposed organic manure (FYM or compost), de oiled neem cake and Top soil (kept aside during digging of the pit.) The pit mixture is prepared by thoroughly mixing equal parts of organic manure and topsoil, along with 250 grams of de-oiled neem-cake. The pit-mixture thus prepared, should be used for filling the pit.

PIT FILLING & SPACING

• The pits must be filled, as much as possible, only with the prepared pit-mixture. If the topsoil is insufficent, coarse river sand may be used as an inert substitute, which also increases porosity and aeration.

• A peg may be placed in the centre of the pit for identification during planting.

• The pits must be filled at least 2weeks before planting, to allow for the pit-mixture to settle.

• The recommended spacing for the plant is a square or triangular grid type with dimension of 10 X 10 ft.

IRRIGATION

• Watering has to be done immediately after planting. During the first two week watering should be done alternate day. Subsequentely irrigation can be done once in 3 to 4 days depending upon the soil and weather conditions. In non-irrigated lands micro-irrigation systems are recommended.

FERTILIZER APPLICATION & DOSES

• Fertilizer should be applied in 8 split doses.
  First year N:P:K (17:17:17) & Micro Nutrients 200gms./ plant / month, except dormancy (Oct - Jan) period. Every month this has to be split and applied through pocket manuring. Make hole 1 ft. away from the plants and the depth of the pit should be 1 ft. Apply the fertilizer in the hole and fill it with the soil.

After 5th the same type of pocket manuring can be continued upto three years.
Micro nutrient application 1 gm / lt. Of water, foliar application once in 15 days for 1 year.

PLANT PROTECTION

• Leaves of young Paulownia plantation are susceptible to fungal diseases causing leaf spot and leaf blight. Foliar sprays of fungicide mixes (Blitox, Bavistin and Indofil M-45 @ 2gms. Each per litre of water) should be applied regularly as a prophylactic measure to prevent leaf fungal disease.

• Root and basal portion of young Paulownia plantation are also susceptible to fungal diseases causing root rot and basal rot. Soil drenching with fungicide mixes (Blitox, Bavistin and Indofil M-45 @ 2gms. Each per litre of water) should be applied after planting as a prophylactic measure to prevent root fungal diseases. Recent, superior anti-fungal products like Ridomil and Confidor have also aid in preventing root diseases.

• Normally the leaves of young Paulownia plantation are attacked most often by sucking insects during the dry summer month and by caterpillars and other defoliators during the humid rainy months.

• Paulownia plantations are most susceptible to pathogen and insect attacks during the establishment phase and hence, utmost care during this phase is critical to the success of the plantation.

PRUNING

• In Paulownia plantation, pruning of side shoots must be undertaken to ensure a minimum, straight "butt-length" stem growth of 4.5metres by the end of the first growing season (i.e one year). All the side shoots growing below 4.5 metres should be carefully pruned at least 5 cms away from the main stem, without injuring the tender bark.

• It is important that Paulownia trees attain a minimum height of at least 4 metres and a basal girth diameter of 5 cms in the first growing season before they become dormant in the winter months. If the desired height and girth is not achieved before dormancy, the trees must be "coppiced". (coppiced is done by cutting down the tree over 4 cms. Above the ground level during the dormancy period) After coppicing, new shoots will emerge from each cut-off trunk in about 2 weeks. One healthy shoot is allowed to grow and the rest are nipped. The ideal time for coppicing is late winter.

MAINTENANCE

• The site must be cleaned of weeds and the soil around the plant should be kept loose and well aerated.

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