Planting and Stand Management

Planting is usually done in pits of 20 cm depth and 10-12 cm diameter. In monospecific stands, spacing of 2 m x 2 m or 2.5 m x 2.5 m is common. However, if saw - log production (large diameter stems) is the objective, wider spacing (3-3.5 m between rows and between plants) should be followed. In agroforestry situations, spacing within rows and between rows must consider the effect of shade and root competition on the yield of associated crops. Shade tolerant crops such as turmeric and ginger can be intercropped with mangium trees planted at 2 m x 4 m or 4 m x 4 m spacing. The crops can be raised in one meter wide beds laid in between the planting rows of mangium.

First weeding must be carried out two months after planting and thereafter at regular intervals depending on weed growth. On favourable sites, mangium plants emerge and dominate the weeds within two years, thus not requiring any further weed control. Fertilizers may be applied @ 30-40 g N, 15-20 g P₂O₅ and K₂O per seedling per year from the second year to the fifth year. Mangium needs regular pruning and thinning if the plantation objective is to produce quality saw logs on 15 to 20 year rotation. These operations in general are not required for pulp wood production on 6 to 8 years rotation. However, multi-stemmed seedlings may be ‘singled’. In pruning, branches are carefully removed in one or more steps along the bottom trunk up to about 6-7 m height. For saw log production regimes is given in the table. Silvicultural schedule is recommended. The average wood yield per tree on a 15 years rotation is about 0.7 to 1.0 m₃.

Silvicultural management schedule for mangium saw log regime