Reviving the royal tree Santalum album Linn.: Santalaceae

Abstract

Sandalwood Plantations has been declined due to natural or unnatural reasons. Natural reasons includes natural calamities, epidemic, fire, drought, flood, grazing of seeds by animals etc. and unnatural reasons include unorganized cutting of the trees, smuggling, theft etc. The demand of elite Sandalwood perfume has been increased but the supply of the heartwood is decreased due to above mentioned reasons. However, the government is now encouraging the growers by providing subsidy upto 75% for plantation. The elite Indian Sandalwood is rich in Santalol content, which is responsible for aroma of the Sandalwood oil. The Indian Sandalwood- Santalum album L. is therefore high in demand in the globe but declared as vulnerable plant species (IUCN 2000), therefore the sps. must be conserved. We can revive the flourishing of the royal tree and also increase the supply to meet the higher demand. The largest Indian sandalwood plantation lies in 10,000 ha. Area in Australia. The plantation can be rapidly increased by planting tissue cultured plants which are free from bacteria, fungi and virus.