Studies on Production and Collection of Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) Seeds

The result of the studies made on assesment of production of sal (Shorea robsta Gaertn.) seed in young to middleaged and mature sal forests in Lachhiwala Range of East Dehra Dun Forest Division (U.P.) is reported. It was observed that in bumper seed year (1977), mature trees produced 3668 kg of seed per hectare as compared to 3124 kg per hectare produced by the young to middleaged crops. These yield figures are more than three the figures noted in the literature by earlier workers. The difficulties in the collection of sal seed have been discussed and the strategy for exploitation of this important oilseed has been suggested.