Mortality Rate and Regeneration Status in Different Age Groups of Santalum album Under Some Specific Hosts

Santalum album is one of the most valuable species of Peninsular India. Due to heavy biotic pressure by the greedy one this species is struggling in its own land. Natural as well as artificial regeneration is having high mortality rate in its initial stage. This study intent the mortality rate of Sandal plants at different age groups up to 5 years with suitable host plant and the impact of the water conservation on its regeneration. The study was conducted during 1999-2000 in Toppur Plateau in Eastern Ghats, represented 10 hectare Sandal plantation under different host trees viz. Albizia amara, Tamarindus indica and Azadirachta indica. The results bave revealed that the maximum mortality 86.68% was recorded in 1-3 months age group, while minimum 7.70% in 3-4 years age group of plants. The mortality rate found gradually decreasing with the increasing age of plants and zero per cent mortality was observed in 4-5 years of seedlings. Thus care must be taken for Sandal seedlings up to the age of 4-5 years after transplanting. Total nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium in the soil of study area ranged between 0.101 to 0.291%, 0.55 to 0.60% and 0.07 to 0.145%, respectively.