FAISALABAD, May 21: The Punjab Forestry Research Institute has developed technology to rear Shisham saplings for cultivation within four months instead of one year. PFRI director Dr Muhammad Afzal said the growth of saplings developed through this technology was encouraging while its survival rate was also measured at 80 per cent.

“These two factors will contribute satisfactorily to increase in the population of Shisham in the country,” he observed. Responding to a question, he said the institute had also identified 23,000 healthy Shisham trees in the province. “Nurseries have been raised by getting 10,501 kilograms of seed from the healthy plants whose offspring are also healthy to date, with no indication of any disease,” he said. The PFRI had also done commendable research in identifying the root-cause of the Shisham dieback syndrome and two national-level seminars had been conducted to share knowledge with scientists working on Shisham across the country. Dr Afzal said the institute had also imparted training to 1,922 farmers and forest officials to sow Shisham saplings in a disease-free environment.—APP