Morphological Characterization of Terminalia tomentosa - Primary Food Plant of Tasar Silkworm, Antheraea mylitta D.

A study was carried out during 2005-2007 on morphological characterization of Terminalia tomentosa W&A. germplasm in the field gene bank at Central Tasar Research and Training Institute, Ranchi. A total of 50 accessions were grouped into 17 different morphological descriptors. Plant nature was erect in most of the accessions (45) except in 5 accessions where it was spreading in nature. Leaf shape was ovate (27), elliptical (16), lanceolate (4), oblique (2) and obovate (1) in the accessions studied. Most of the accessions showed pubescence in the leaf and only 2 accessions had glabrous nature of leaf. Phyllotaxy was of opposite type in all the accessions. Maximum accessions have medium size of lamina length except in 15 accessions where it is of large size. Twenty six accessions have medium and fourteen accessions have short internodal distance. Leaf moisture was medium in 42 and high in 3 accessions. This characterization will help in isolating the economically useful accessions for future breeding programme in Terminalia tomentosa.