Bael
Bael (Aegle marmelos) is an indigenous fruit tree of India. The deciduous tree with trifoliate aromatic leaves is traditionally used as sacred offering to ‘Lord Shiva’. It is commonly planted in temple gardens. As wild, bael is found in Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. There is no systematic or regular plantation of bael except in Uttar Pradesh. Fruit is a hard-shelled berry and very well-known for its medicinal properties due to marmelosin content. Mature fruits as astringent, digestive and stomachic are usually prescribed for diarrhoea and dysentry. The ripe fruit is tonic, restorative, laxative and good for heart and brain.
Climate and soil
Owing to hardy nature, bael tree has a wide adaptability to adverse soil and climatic conditions. It requires subtropical climate where summer is hot and dry, and winter is mild. Plants can be grown even up to an elevation of 1,200m. They are not damaged by temperature as low as –7°C.
A well-drained, sandy loam soil is ideal. It can thrive even on poor, clay and stony soils. It can stand sodicity up to 30 ESP and salinity up to 9ds/m EC.
Varieties
There is no improved cultivar for commercial cultivation. Some popular types named after their locality are cultivated. The important ones are Mirzapuri, Kagzi Gonda, Kagzi Etawah and Kagzi Banarasi. Recently some selections such as Narendra Bael 1 (oblong) and Narendra Bael 2 (spherical) have been found very promising.
Propagation
Bael is usually propagated by seed. The seedling are not true-to-type and exhibit large variability. Budding is becoming popular. It is essential to raise seedling to be used as rootstock. The seeds do not have dormancy, hence fresh seeds are shown in June in a well-prepared bed mixed with decomposed farmyard manure and sand. Seeds germinate within 3 weeks. The seedlings become ready for transplanting 7 weeks after sowing. These seedlings are ready for budding after a year. The scion shoots should be selected from mother plants which are prolific-bearer. Patch budding is ideal method with a 90% success rate. June–July is ideal time for it.
Bael (Aegle marmelos) is an indigenous fruit tree of India. The deciduous tree with trifoliate aromatic leaves is traditionally used as sacred offering to ‘Lord Shiva’. It is commonly planted in temple gardens. As wild, bael is found in Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. There is no systematic or regular plantation of bael except in Uttar Pradesh. Fruit is a hard-shelled berry and very well-known for its medicinal properties due to marmelosin content. Mature fruits as astringent, digestive and stomachic are usually prescribed for diarrhoea and dysentry. The ripe fruit is tonic, restorative, laxative and good for heart and brain.
Climate and soil
Owing to hardy nature, bael tree has a wide adaptability to adverse soil and climatic conditions. It requires subtropical climate where summer is hot and dry, and winter is mild. Plants can be grown even up to an elevation of 1,200m. They are not damaged by temperature as low as –7°C.
A well-drained, sandy loam soil is ideal. It can thrive even on poor, clay and stony soils. It can stand sodicity up to 30 ESP and salinity up to 9ds/m EC.
Varieties
There is no improved cultivar for commercial cultivation. Some popular types named after their locality are cultivated. The important ones are Mirzapuri, Kagzi Gonda, Kagzi Etawah and Kagzi Banarasi. Recently some selections such as Narendra Bael 1 (oblong) and Narendra Bael 2 (spherical) have been found very promising.
Propagation
Bael is usually propagated by seed. The seedling are not true-to-type and exhibit large variability. Budding is becoming popular. It is essential to raise seedling to be used as rootstock. The seeds do not have dormancy, hence fresh seeds are shown in June in a well-prepared bed mixed with decomposed farmyard manure and sand. Seeds germinate within 3 weeks. The seedlings become ready for transplanting 7 weeks after sowing. These seedlings are ready for budding after a year. The scion shoots should be selected from mother plants which are prolific-bearer. Patch budding is ideal method with a 90% success rate. June–July is ideal time for it.
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