Melia dubia fast growing with softwood
Melia dubia
Synonym : Melia composita ;Melia candollei ? ;Melia linnaeus ? Melia azedarach L. var australasica (Different from Melia azedarach )
English: White cedar,Tulip cedar ,Chinaberry ,Marking Nut, Malabar Neem, Persian lilac Pride-of-India, China tree,
Vernacular names : Tamil: Malay vembu; Masaveppu ;Malai vembu Malayalam: Aryaveppu; Malaveppu ; Valiyaveppu; Kattuveppu Kannada: Betta bevu; Heb bevu ;Olle bevu Thur bevu Telegu :Arcini karra Hindi:Bakain; Bakayan Bengali:Ghoranim;Ghoraneem Marathi:Limbara
family Meliaceae, mahogany family
MELIA DUBIA - It is called as MALAI VEMBU in Tamilnadu. It is considered as the fastest growing tree.It can be done in two ways. One by taking seeds but it takes about 5/6 years to fully grown tree. The other way is by cloning and it will take 3/4 years only. The quality of the wood by seed germination process is very good. It is used for multipurposes,vz. Bio-Mass for power generation, Veneers for Plywoods, Boat and Catamarine building, House contruction work and furnitures
*** The timber is very light & easily attacked by termite/white ant.
Melia seedlings best planted in June-July...seedling about 6'' to 8". Will grow to 3 feet very quickly and thereafter it is difficult to transport
2nd year thinning can fetch Rs. 75000 ( per acre...match industry can pay even twice the cost per tonne 1000/tonne at farm...delivered at Erode etc. about Rs.1500/tonne... around Rs. 50000 per acre
High calorific value...very suitable for energy plantation?!
Melia dubia contacts/resources
Pugazhendi, President South Karnataka Tamil Sangam Federation
Gundalpattu Near Chamrajnagar
growing Melia for plywood industry in partnership with Balakrishnan. Per cubic foot Rs. 200/5th year 15 Cubic feet per tree
100 km from Sathyamangalam via Chamrajnagar
Planted 5' by 5'..1750 trees per acre..check..2nd year thinning to 10' by 10'...2 lakhs per acre for firewood
Seedlings from Mysore Ravindra Shenoi
6" seedling grew to 15' in 8 months. Pits 1.5' by 1.5' by 1.5'.. drip irrigated...no fertilizer
Shri N.L Chandkumar, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Kolar
Shri Manjunath, DFO, Assistant Silviculturist, Karnataka Forest Service
Experienced in clonal propagation of Melia dubia seedlings
Residence about 30 Km from Hosur
Pharmadig