Question : SHISHUM TREES

(a) whether the Government is aware that Shishum trees grown on public and private land in various parts of the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand have been afflicted by an unknown disease resulting in drying up of the trees leading to revenue loss;

(b) if so, whether the Government has formulated/propose to formulate a special programme to protect the Shishum trees;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to provide any special assistance to the farmers who have suffered losses as a result thereof; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) ICFRE, an autonomous forestry research and education organisation under the Ministry, has already initiated research studies on drying up of Shishum trees.

(c) The initial research studies have been taken on the following lines –


(i) The pathogen has been successfully isolated from different localities and morphological variations have been noted and their pathogenicity has been tested.


(ii) An antagonistic bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens and its different isolates have been identified for possible biological control of the pathogen after due evaluation.


(iii) Seeds from healthy trees in heavily disease-infested localities have been collected from various states for screening their disease resistance.

(d) Presently no such proposal is under consideration of the government.

(e) Does not arise.