Eucalyptus tereticornis (Mysore Gum)
The most widely planted eucalyptus species in India by area — the traditional safeda of the northern plains, grown from seed-origin nursery seedlings where clonal stock is not available or affordable.
Quick facts
- Type
- Seed-origin nursery seedling
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- 6-8 year rotation (slower and more variable than named clones)
- Expected yield
- Moderate; lower and less uniform than a named clone
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- A naturally occurring species widely propagated from seed by state forest departments and nurseries across India; not a company or university-bred clone
About this variety
Eucalyptus tereticornis, commonly called Mysore Gum internationally and simply safeda across the northern Indian plains, is the most widely planted eucalyptus species in India by total area. Where named clonal material (a PAU clone, an IFGTB EC clone or an ITC Bhadrachalam clone) is not available or is beyond a farmer's budget, seed-origin nursery seedlings of this species are the standard fallback for pulpwood, fuelwood and general farm-timber planting, both on farm bunds in the north and in social/agroforestry plantings across peninsular India.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Spacing3 x 2 m to 4 x 4 m depending on whether the block targets pulpwood or poles/general timber
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
6-8 year rotation (slower and more variable than named clones)
Expected yield
Moderate; lower and less uniform than a named clone
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Variable, since seedling stock is not selected for resistance
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Widely and cheaply available as nursery seedling stock across almost every Indian state
- Broad climatic and soil tolerance, matching the description of the species as a whole
- A familiar, long-established species with decades of Indian agroforestry experience behind it
Things to consider
- Seed-origin stock grows less uniformly and typically yields less pulpwood per acre over the same rotation than a named clone
- Not selected for gall-wasp or disease tolerance the way modern clones are, so variability in resistance within a block is normal
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Tamil Nadu
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
Sourced from: ICAR — Central Agroforestry Research Institute (CAFRI). editorial policy.