Recently, the Madhya Pradesh forest department has sought permission from the central government to fell nearly 150,000 sal trees in Dindori district after a severe infestation of sal borer insects.
About Sal Borer:
It is a beetle of the order- Coleoptera, family-Cerambycydae.
It is the most devastating insect pest responsible for catastrophic damage of sal forests of the country.
Appearance: It looks dark brown in color and has about the size of a human finger.
It causes extensive damage to sal trees both in standing as well as freshly felled timbers.
The less vigorous, weak, unhealthy trees or those with reduced vitality are easily attacked or killed due to borer.
The attack of the borer is considered epidemic when the sal trees affected are more than 1% of the total number of trees.
Key Facts about Sal Tree
It’s called the ‘Sentinel of the Forests’ because it can live for dozens of years and has the ability to withstand environmental changes.
Distribution: It is found naturally in Uttarakhand, Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.
Required Climatic Conditions for Sal Tree
Temperature: It can tolerate temperatures as high as 40-45°Celcius in summers and as low as 5°Celcius in winters.
Soil: It can be grown in the plains, provided there is light loamy soil with good drainage and the area receives approximately 1000 mm – 3000 mm of annual rainfall.
Climate: It requires a warm and humid climate and can thrive at altitudes up to 1500 metres above the sea level.
This tree can live up to 100 years and doesn’t require frequent watering or care.
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