Exploration of Lac Cultivation on Non-Traditional Host Flemingia Macrophylla (Willd.) Kuntze Ex Merr. and it’s Possibility in Understorey Plantations of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.

Lac is a natural resin of animal origin derived from protective body covering of tiny insect Kerria lacca Kerr. (Tachardiidae: Homoptera). It is commercially cultivated on traditional hosts like Kusum (Schleichera oleosa), Palas (Butea monosperma) and Ber (Zizyphus mauritiana). To overcome the problems of long gestation period, scattered distribution and high crown of these traditional hosts, efforts were made to explore suitable non-traditional hosts of short gestation period and low crown. In this context, Flemingia macrophylla is one of the promising non-traditional host species which was explored as intercrop in understorey of Dalbergia sissoo and control condition. The experiment was conducted in Aghani (winter) and Katki (rainy) seasons for Kusumi and Rangeeni strains respectively. Survival per cent of F. macrophylla was higher in understorey (100) as compared to control (96). The mean plant height of F. macrophylla in understorey was 141.87 cm, whereas 237.46 cm in control. Average inoculable shoots per plant were 4.41 and 2.27 under control and understorey respectively. After 75 days of inoculation, density of settlement was higher under control (45.71/cm2, 16.2/cm2) than in understorey (38.05/cm2, 13.5/cm2) for winter and rainy crop respectively. Sex ratio at 45 days of inoculation was higher in understorey in winter(13:95 M: F/cm2) and control in rainy (14:84 M: F/cm2). Lac shell weight after emergence was higher under control for both winter (0.02012 g) and rainy (0.0313 g) with 307 and 315 insects respectively. The average ‘scrap lac’ yield in control was 166.64 g/plant, which was 2.6 times to that in understorey (63.63 g/plant) for winter crop. Experimental results revealed that inspite of significant reduction in the scrap lac yield; lac cultivation is feasible on F. macrophylla in under-storey. With proper canopy management, there is potential of increasing not only its economic viability, but also ecological development via Joint Forest Management through peoples’ participation in resource generation, management and sharing of benefits.