Effect of Different Soil and Weeding Management on Early Field Performance and Establishment of Jatropha curcas L.

An experiment conducted at Research and Development farm, Maheshwer (situated between 22012/25// N latitude, 75035/26// E longitudes, at an elevation of 600 m above the mean sea level) to assess the early field performance and establishment of Jatropha curcas L as influenced by plantation season, soil types and weeding managements. Transplantation done during rainy season can be concluded to be the ideal season for establishing J. curcas plantations compared to summer and winter in agro-ecological conditions like those of Research and development farm of Maheshwer. The study demonstrated J. curcas planting media (red stony, laterite and black soil) treatment to have no effect on the survival and growth of saplings during the first season of establishment. Data collected in future will help determine the most ideal soil condition. As for weed management, the results indicated spot weeding, slashing and both spot weeding and slashing to have the same effect on J. curcas survival and growth in height and basal girth.