Seed Biology, Dormancy Breaking and Germination
Fresh sandalwood seeds possess hard seed coats and internal physiological dormancy that must be treated to achieve uniform germination rates.
- Seed Selection: Collect ripe purple-black drupes from healthy, mature mother trees (over 15 to 20 years old), de-pulp immediately, and wash with clean water.
- Pre-Sowing Dormancy Treatment: Soak cleaned dry seeds in a 500 PPM Gibberellic Acid (GA3) solution for 16 to 24 hours, or perform mild mechanical scarification to soften the seed coat.
- Nursery Bed Sowing: Sow seeds in raised sand beds pre-treated with Trichoderma viride to prevent fungal damping-off, maintaining light moisture under partial shade.
- Germination Timeline: Germination begins between 30 and 45 days and can continue for up to 90 days; expected germination rates range from 60 to 80 percent after treatment.
Hemi-Parasitic Nature and Host Plant Pairing
Sandalwood roots lack functional root hairs and develop specialized nutrient-absorbing organs called haustoria that attach to host roots.
- Primary Nursery Host: At the two-leaf stage, transplant chandan seedlings into polybags alongside an established primary host such as Alternanthera sessilis or red gram (Cajanus cajan).
- Secondary Field Hosts: When establishing permanent orchard plantations, interplant chandan with long-term nitrogen-fixing host trees such as Casuarina equisetifolia, Sesbania grandiflora, or Melia dubia.
- Planting Geometry: Maintain a field spacing of 3 meters x 3 meters or 4 meters x 4 meters, interspersing host trees systematically between sandalwood rows.
Soil Suitability, Growth Care and Legal Framework
Sandalwood thrives in well-drained red loams, lateritic soils, and rocky undulating terrain with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, but cannot tolerate waterlogging.
- Irrigation Management: Requires moderate moisture during the initial 2 to 3 years; once established, deep taproots withstand seasonal semi-arid droughts.
- Heartwood and Oil Formation: Natural aromatic heartwood formation typically initiates around the 7th to 10th year and reaches optimal commercial maturity after 15 to 20 years.
- Legal Provisions: Under amended state forest regulations in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, individuals can legally grow chandan on private agricultural land, but felling and sale must be coordinated through state forest departments.
Official source
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Common questions
Why does a chandan (sandalwood) plant require a host plant?
Sandalwood is a hemi-parasite that lacks efficient root hairs; its roots produce haustoria that penetrate host roots to absorb water, amino acids, and essential mineral nutrients.
What is the best pre-treatment to break chandan seed dormancy?
Soaking cleaned chandan seeds in 500 PPM Gibberellic Acid (GA3) solution for 16 to 24 hours significantly accelerates germination and increases germination percentage.
Is it legal to cultivate chandan on private farmland in India?
Yes, growing sandalwood on private agricultural land is legal across Indian states, but tree felling, transit permits, and timber auctioning are regulated through the respective state forest department.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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