Cadamba

IFGTB
Mar 5, 2022
6 min read

Updated: Jun 13, 2022

Neolamarckia cadamba ( old name = Anthocephalus cadamba) belonging to the family Rubiaceae is a large deciduous evergreen tree. It is fast growing species which grows upto a height of 45 metre with clear bole upto 25 metre and 100-160 cm girth at breast height.

Distribution:

It is native to India, China, Australia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam It has been successfully introduced into Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Surinam, Taiwan, Venezuela and other tropical and subtropical countries and in countries like China, Australia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.

Distribution in India:

In India, it is frequently found in southern tropical semi evergreen forests, Northern Indian tropical moist deciduous forest, tropical fresh water swamp forest and widely distributed throughout the greater part of India and in Western Ghats in South, in Central Maharashtra - Sahyadris, in North Eastern part - Assam, lower hills of Darjeeling, Terai, Bihar, Orissa and in Singh bum valley and in Andamans. Within the area of natural distribution it is found below 1000 m altitude and normally where there is more than 1500 mm rain/year but it can also grow in dry areas with as little as 200 mm rain/year. It is very light demanding species and grows normally with a maximum of 37.5° to 47.5° C and minimum 0° to 15°C temperature and intolerant to frost and liable to damp off during excess moisture in the soil. It can grow on a variety of soils especially well grown in moist well drained alluvial soil and tolerates periodic flooding.

Image: Neolamarckia cadamba plantation at Narasipuram

Growth Characteristics and Phenology

The bark is grey, smooth in young trees while rough and longitudinally fissured in old trees. Tree grows up to 45 m height with gbh up to 100-160 cm. The crown is umbrella shaped and the branches are characteristically arranged in tiers. Leaves are simple about 13-32 cm long, glossy green, opposite, simple, petiolate, ovulate to elliptical. Flowers orange, small, in dense, globose heads, appear like solid, hairy orange balls. The fruits are small capsules, packed closely together to form a fleshy, yellow or orange coloured infructescence containing approx. 8,000 seeds. The small capsules split into four parts releasing the seed at maturity. Heart wood is basically yellowish white or grey and its sapwood colour is also similar.

Seed Collection and Storage

Once the fruit colour changes from yellow to dark yellow or orange, the fruits are harvested from the trees from the fourth year during the months of September to November by climbing or shaking the branches after spreading covers on the ground. Average dry weight of each fruit is 11.5 gm and wet weight 50 gm. The collected well ripened fruits are allowed to rot for three or four days, soaked in water overnight and crushed manually along with water and seeds are separated. The separated seeds are allowed to dry in shade and stored in air tight container. Other method is by cutting the fruits into small parts and allowing them to dry and after a few days crush the small parts and the seeds can be separated. One gram of seeds generally has around 23,000-25,000 seeds.

Image: Dark yellow / orange mature cadamba fruits

Image: Seed extraction process

Nursery Techniques:

Sowing

Seeds of about 0.1g (about 2500 seeds) can be sown in a plastic or iron tray (60 cm x 30 cm) having fine river sand kept under shade and covered by polythene sheets during rainy season. Spraying of pesticides around the trays is must to avoid ants which feed on seeds. Watering should be done frequently by spraying for seed germination. The seeds start germination after 15-20 days from the date of sowing with the germination percentage of 90%. Unlike other seeds, it takes about 8 weeks to get full germination. Seeds do not require pre-sowing treatments but need special care. The seedlings from the tray can be pricked once they attain a height of 5 cm and transplanted to the poly bags (20 x 11 cm) containing the mixture of red soil, sand and manure in the ratio of 2:1:1. The seedlings which attain more than 45 cm height or six months old are suitable for planting in the field.

Image: Seed sowing and germination

Vegetative propagation

Coppice shoots (15-20 cm) collected from selected CPTs by girdling or felling trees are dipped in root hormones to induce rooting. Cuttings treated with IBA or NAA (2000 ppm) gives 81% and 62% rooting respectively. Rooting can be observed after 30 to 40 days. The rooted plants can be transplanted to polybags (20 x 11 cm) containing the mixture of red soil, sand and manure in the ratio of 2:1:1. The rooted cuttings should watered twice a day along with monthly NPK application (1 gm/lit).

Image: Coppice shoots from CPT

Image: Rooted cuttings

Planting Practices and post planting operations

Cadamba grows well in deep moist alluvial soils, often along river banks. The soil should be well drained and should not get affected by flood. Spacing of 2 x 2 m is ideal for pulp wood purpose, while 3 x 3 m or 4 x 4 m insisted for plywood/match/pencil wood production. Size of pits should be 45 x 45 x 45 cm and 3-5 kg of FYM or vermicompost per pit should be applied. To ensure successful establishment, seedlings should be planted along with balls of earth. Closer spacing leads to height growth and thereby provides protection against grazing animals. Wider spacing can be adopted to have more incremental girth and also for intercropping during the initial period. 8-10 year old trees are suitable for harvesting. In India, trees were harvested on seventh year for pencil wood, match wood, plywood industries, while they are harvested at fourth year for pulp wood purposes.

The post planting operations include watering, weeding, pruning, manuring, thinning and soil working. Watering should be done twice weekly and weeding has to be done periodically. Cadamba grows well in moist alluvial soils. In low fertile lands manure application of 15 g urea and triple super phosphate can boost growth. Knot free timber and clear bole can be achieved by pruning side branches. Plantations with a spacing of 3 x 2 m are amenable to thinning,, 3 thinnings conducted at 2, 4 and 8 years of age are ideal to obtain a high timber volume.

Agroforestry

Agricultural crops can be grown as inter crop under cadamba plantation. . For better results, Spacing should be at least 5 x 5m/ 6 x 6m to get better yield. Dry paddy can be cultivated up to 3 years without much difficulty. Once the trees attain max height, it is desirable to change the cropping pattern, i.e., ginger, turmeric etc besides vegetables, pine apple and pulses. Trees are also planted in the boundaries of the field for protection of crops. Hence in farm forestry, the farmers can get more yields of crops and generate revenue from N. cadamba tree as well.

Protection

Young N. cadamba saplingstrees are susceptible to common stem borer (Cossus cadambae) which attacks the stem during August – January. The longhorn beetle (Batocere numitor) bores in to the base of the stem of unhealthy trees. These pests can be controlled by spraying 0.2% carbaryl, acephate, fenvalerate and permethrin. Margaronia hilaralis a common leaf rolling insect is reported and is controlled with 0.051 BHC in H2O.

The main diseases reported are on nursery seedlings which include damping- off by Fusarium and Pythium spp. The fungus Scytalidium lignicola is found on living branches of N.cadamba.

Image: Cadamba stem affected by stem borer (Cossus cadamba)

Image: Trial of Neolamarckia cadamba by Neyveli

Demo trials / agroforestry trials in farmer’s fields:

Few demo trials were established by IFGTB in farmer fields to popularise the species among the farmers of various locations and to ascertain the benefits of agroforestry techniques. The demo trail was established in farmer fields viz., Kodur (Tindivanam), Kenipet (Tindivanam), KVK field (Tindivanam), Kalapanayakanpatti (Namakkal) and Salem. The yield obtained by this agroforestry technique in above said fields will definitely improve the interest among farmers.

Demo trial in farmer field- Kenipet

Image: Demo trial in farmer field - Kenipet

Agroforestry trial in KVK -TNAU- Tindivanam

Image: Before inter crop (2018)

Image: Gingelly as inter crop

Demo trial in farmer field- Salem

Demo trial in farmer field- Kodur

Image: Demo trial (2015) at Kodur

Image: Demo trial after getting established

Uses

The wood is extensively used for ceiling boards, light construction work, packing cases, planking, carving and turnery. The wood makes good veneers and plywood suitable for the manufacture of commercial grade plywood and tea chest plywood. In Assam, wood is mainly used in the plywood industries. It is also suitable for the manufacture of pencils, match boxes, and splints. It is suitable for writing and printing paper giving 48.6% yield and over 6000 m breaking length. Brown wrapping paper can also be prepared by sulphate process. Bark used for relieving fever and extract of leaves are used for mouth gargle. All parts of the plant reveal high medicinal values in which the bark is used for relieving fever and extract of leaves are used for mouth gargle. Due to the presence of fragrance compound in fruit and leaves, they are used in preparation of hair oil, fragrance scent, attar, soap, face cream, shampoo, etc.

Image: Felling of trees for economic yield and Samples for Ply wood and Match wood Industry

Image: Uses of cadamba wood in making plywood and match stick

Economics

Cost of cultivation of (approximate) per hectare for Neolomarckia cadamba

Cost of Cadamba planting in 1 ha and profit for (4 x 5m) spacing (500 plants / ha)

Establishment Cost

S.No	Details of Operation	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	Year 7	Year 8	Total (Rs.)
1	Land Preparation	4,500								4,500
2	Pitting (5 x 5 m) - 500 pits	5,000								5,000
3	Cost of manure / nutrients and its application	5,000								5,000
4	Planting material cost	6,000								6,000
5	Planting Cost	5,000								5,000
6	Causality Replacement	1,500								1,500
	Subtotal	27,000								27,500

Maintenance Cost

7	Inter ploughing	1,800	1,800	1,950	1,950	2,100	2,100	2,250		13,950
8	Maintenance - weeding and soil working thrice a year	6,000	7,500	8,000	8,000	4,000	4,000	4,000		41,500
9	Irrigation	3,600	3,600	3,600	4,200	4,200	4,200			23,400
10	Protection (ward and watch) - Rs.500/month	2,400	2,400	2,400	3,000	3,000	3,000	3,000	3,000	22,200
	Overall Total	40,800	15,300	15,950	17,150	13,300	13,300	9,250	3,000	1,28,050

Approximate Yield and Income/ha under irrigated condition

	Year (rotation)	Number of Trees	Wood Yields (tons)	Sale Price / tonne (Rs.)	Income (Rs.)
Tree	8	500	112 (500 x 225 kg / year)	7,000	7,84,000