PJB-2018-933
REGENERATION OF QUERCUS BALOOT SEEDLINGS IN SHESHIKOH OAK FORESTS, DISTRICT CHITRAL, HINDUKUSH RANGE, PAKISTAN
Zahid Ahmad
Abstract
Regeneration of Oak (Quercus baloot) forests is an issue of concern in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in general and Sheshikoh Valley, District Chitral in particular. The Oak forests cover has been continuously deteriorated and depleted in the study area due to uncontrolled grazing, low moisture content of soil and collection of the plant as fuelwood and are hence the major contributors toward the failure of Oak regeneration. The present study was conducted in Oak forests of Sheshikoh Valley, Chitral, where four plots of 2-acres each were established. Each plot was treated by one treatment each i.e fencing, mixed treatment (fencing and fertile soil), fencing and trench treatment and control/open plot. The data was collected two times in a year in March and September. The result showed that the number of seedlings in the first sub-plot (fencing) were 23, with average height of 43 inches, average diameters of 11.7 mm. In the second sub-plot (fencing and fertile soil) 40 seedlings grew with average height of 42 inches and average diameter of 10 mm. In the third sub-plot (fencing and trench) 45 seedlings developed with average height of 48 inches and average diameter of 13 mm. In the fourth sub-plot (no treatment) poor germination (8-seedlings only) was noted with average height of 8.5 inches and average diameter of plants was 3.7 mm. So, the survival rate of seedlings in the first, second and fourth Sub-plot remained unsatisfactory at the end of the research. It is concluded that the third treatment was the best suitable practice to stabilize oak forests in their natural zones.
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