Given high demand for poplar particularly in manufacturing sector for preparing paper, matchbox material, plywood to name a few and more importantly, its role in maintaining atmospheric conditions, the Uttarakhand Forestry Research Institute (UFRI), is going to increase the productivity of this tree species through cloning technology putting as many as 25 clones on field trial.
Out of 87 clones developed in 2005, 2006 and 2007 as the annual report of UFRI-2010-2011 reflect, as many as 17 clones were found suitable for further development. And these clones along with eight other clones have now been put on field trial, as the annual report of the UFRI suggest.
It is worth mention here that research woks have been continuously going for improvement of poplar tree in Terai area of Uttarakhand since 1982. And the data provided in the annual report of the UFRI suggest as many as 20 clones were developed between 1982 and 1984. More so, keeping in view importance of poplar as timber material and environment purposes, as many as 58 clones were developed between 1984 and 1992. Thus as many as 78 clones were put on field trial in Terai-Central forest division (Haldwani).
Field trial of clones is going for a long time. As it is a continuous process, the basic purpose is how to develop improved variety of the poplar, said SK Singh, Chief Conservator of Forests, UFRI, while talking to The Pioneer. Hopefully, these research works would definitely help find better variety of this tree species, he added.