Effect of seedling size and irrigation on plant survival in Flemingia semialata—an important bushy lac-host plant

Abstract

Studies were conducted in West Bengal, India during 2002-03 to study the effect of seedling size at the time of transplanting on F. semialata vigour, using the initial height of the seedling before transplanting as a parameter for vigour. Fifteen plants of the same age, belonging to 3 categories (big, 30-35 cm; medium, 20-25 cm; and small, 10-15 cm), were transplanted in July. Shoot length and shoot number per bush were recorded during December at the start of water stress. Irrigation was at intervals of 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. The lowest plant mortality (16.6%) occurred in the most frequently irrigated plants. When irrigation frequency was reduced to 28 days, only 27.5% of the plants survived. Plant morality increased with increasing intervals between irrigations. Larger and healthier seedlings during transplanting time were more vigorous under water stress than smaller ones.