RAIN FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTEIndian Council of Forestry Research & Education

(An Autonomous Council under Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Govt. of India)

Jorhat, Assam.

Institute Building of Advanced Research Centre Bamboo & Rattan, Bethlehem Vengthleng, Aizawl

(Mizoram)

Centre for Forest-based Livelihoods &

Extension, Gandhigram,

Agartala (Tripura)

Organizational Setup

Director

Administration Establishment

Accounts IT Cell Stores Estate

Research

Group Coordinator (Research)

ARCBR, Aizwal (Mizoram)

2004CFLE,

Agartala ( Tripura)

2012

MANDATE OF THE INSTITUTE- 'RFRI'(Govt. of India, MoEF No. 1-1/37-RT dt. 9th April, 1987)

1. Conservation of forest ecosystem with emphasis on natural regeneration

2. Control of shifting cultivation

3. Management of community forests

4. Planting practices for eco-restoration and

5. Bamboos and canes

RESEARCH PRIORITIES IN FORESTRY FOR NE REGION :

Managing Shifting Cultivation Development of Models for Cultivation of medicinal & aromatic plants & Bamboos and Rattans on farm lands Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization Development of Agroforestry/Social Forestry Models Impact Study of Shifting Cultivation Tissue Culture of Important Species Soil and Water Conservation Extension of tested technologies and Impact Assessment Information on Economics and Market Studies Value Addition to NTFPs Natural Regeneration of Important Species Management of Natural Forests Bio-diesel – development of alternative fuel species Nursery Techniques of Important Species Carbon Credit

Total Scientific Strength of RFRISN

Divisions Scientists Research Officers

1 Silviculture and Forest Management

5 1

2 Bioprospecting and Indigenous Knowledge

2 -

3 Ecology and Biodiversity

6 1

4 Extension division 2 -

5 Shifting Cultivation Division

3 2

6 Forest Protection Division

8 -

7 Biotechnology Division

4 1

Total= 30 5

Patent developed: Jagriti –the apparatus for preservative treatment of bamboo

Utility of bamboo versatile but it is bogged down by its short durability. The service life of bamboo can be extended effectively preservative treatment of bamboo. Jagriti-the Boucherie apparatus can be utilized as an apparatus to treat freshly harvested bamboos, of various lengths in 15-55 minutes using water borne preservatives .

Just by adding additional outlets to the apparatus the number of bamboo treatable at any time may be increased.

The working cost depends on the preservative used and the number of preservative used. This method of bamboo treatment is best for fresh green bamboos only. After treatment of bamboo it should be stored in shade in horizontal position for 10-15 days for fixing of the preservative chemicals .

Paper published in high impact Journals in the last 25 years :National Journal : (47 nos.)

Paper published in high impact Journals in the last 25 years :International Journals: (27 nos.)

IMPORTANT RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN DURING THE LAST 10 YEARS

at RFRI, Jorhat

OUTCOME REPORT OF MAJOR RESEARCH WORK : Under National Communication (NATCOM- II) project, soil organic carbon stock was estimated in different land uses in twenty nine subgroup type forest and nearby non-forest areas from eight North Eastern states. Wide variation of organic carbon content of soil was found with the highest record of (200.6 t/ha) in sub alpine and alpine plantation forest soil of Arunachal Pradesh and the lowest of (42.4 t/ha) was found under the tea plantation area. Further, organic carbon content in soil under all the eight land use systems found increased with the increase of altitude of site.Comparative studies on Optimum treatment time and durability test for preservation of some commercially important bamboo species was carried out. Boucherie process was found to be an effective apparatus for preservative treatment of bamboos and bamboos with the average age of 4 years may be effectively treated using Jagriti (the Boucherie apparatus developed by RFRI) within 15 to 50 minutes.Survey carried out in Jorhat district to evaluate selected species for energy plantation revealed that Mallotus albus, Tephrosia candida, Neolamarckia cadamba, Melia azedarach and Alstonia scholaris could be exploited for future energy generation programme as these species had good survival, growth and biomass potential.Biodiversity studies of Orthoptera carried out in Kaziranga National Park, Assam recorded a total of 36 species of Orthoptera belonging to 30 genera and 4 families in different habitats. Development of viable technique for efficient charcoal production from different bamboo species of NE India Morinda citrifolia L. (Noni) was introduced in NE States as livelihood option for the people of North East India from the 750 numbers of tested clones of Noni collected from CARI, Port Blair.

OUTCOME REPORT OF MAJOR RESEARCH WORK : An ecofriendly strategy for the management of Calopepla leayana, a serious pest of Gmelina arborea was developed using entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. An experiment was carried out in Karbi Anglong, district of Assam to improve soil fertility and enhancement of agricultural productivity by using leguminous green manures viz., Crotalaria pallida, Sesbania bispinosa and Cajanus cajan. Of these, C. pallida was found as the best green manure to improve soil constituents, increment of the crop productivity and uptake followed by S. bispinosa. Aquilaria malaccensis L. locally known as Sasi or agarwood is the most important medicinal and aromatic plant of North East India. A field key for identification of infected agar tree was developed. The causal fungi for the agarwood formation were also identified and isolated. Also developed a technique of artificial inoculation through fungal technology and successfully induced agarwood in 6-7 years old trees. Further, essential oil from infected agarwood could be extracted in laboratory by steam distillation. Ecological studies on the distribution patterns and food plant resources of butterflies along altitudinal gradients in different forest ecosystems of the Eastern Himalaya (Arunachal Pradesh) was studied in 13 districts and database being prepared for 365 species of butterflies were sampledEthnomycological survey and collection of wild edible mushrooms has been carried out from the selected areas of Kohima, Dimapur, Mon and Mokokchung districts of Nagaland.Important insect pests of selected bamboo species in Assam were recorded. Thirty four insect species belonging to various orders were recorded and suitable management strategies were workout to control the major pests. The distribution of different species of Garcinia (Cluciaceae) and its ecology, utilization in the upper Brahmaputra valley of Assam were studied. Sofar, ten species of Garcinia were identified in this location. Under the NRAA project, seven states of Northeast India have been covered for collecting Socio-economic and ecological data in forest fringe villages. Different aspects of livelihood have been assessed including dependency on forests etc.

On/Out-station Activities : Establishment of Bambusetum : ( 44 different Bamboo species in Bambusetum)

Establishment of Botanical Garden :

(Collected plant materials from Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and planted at RFRI Botanical Garden.

•Medicinal plants : 29 species •Orchids : > 39 species •Trees of economic importance : 19 species •Arboretum : >19 species •Endangered & Rare Plants: 12 species )

Establishment of Field Research Stations : Naharoni, Golaghat District, Assam – 10 haDakshinpat Satra, Jorhat District, Assam – 5 haJeypur, Dibrugarh District, Assam – 2 ha

Technologies developed :SN

Name of technology

Scientist Involved

Date and Year of Transfer /Transferred to Whom

Under PLAN/ sponsored funding

1 King Chilli- Mangium agroforestry model

Shri P.K Kaushik

2009-2010/Transferred to three villages of Melang Grant (Gobindpur, Bhogpur, Madhupur)

Demo village programme

2 King chilli- Arecanut agroforestry model

Shri P.K Kaushik

2009-2010/Transferred to three villages of Melang Grant (Gobindpur, Bhogpur, Madhupur)

Demo village programme

3 Jagriti- Improve Boucherie Apparatus

Dr. K.G. Prasad, Dr. A.N. Singh and Shri D. Gurung

Forest officials, artisans, self help groups and on request to Science and Technology Department Govt. of Sikkim

Technologies developed :SN

Name of technology

Scientist Involved

Date and Year of Transfer /Transferred to Whom

Under PLAN/ sponsored funding

4 Improved cultivation and management technique of Broom Grass (Thysanolaena maxima )

Dr. I.P. Bora

Farmers and Jhum cultivators

ICFRE- funded

5 Vegetative Multiplication Bamboo

Dr. S. Patnaik, Dr. K.C. Pathak and Dr. T.C. Bhuyan

Farmers/State forest Departments/NGOs/SHG

UNDP-funded

6 Bamboo Charcoal making using brick and drum kilns.

Shri D. Gurung

2012-2014/ Farmers, Entrepreneurs and State Forest Official

ICFRE- funded

7 Artificial induction of Agarwood in Aquilaria Malaccensis through fungal technology

Dr. R.K. Borah

2013-14Multilocational trial in farmers field

ICFRE-funded

FORESTRY RESEARCH EXTENSION ACTIVITIES :

DEMO VILLAGES

Capacity Building , skill-upgradation of artisans and promotion of traditional bamboo handicrafts and art with improved technology, suitable design and value addition

Training: Global Positioning System Application in Forest and Land Resource Survey

THANK YOU….