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Since its
establishment, the Institute has lendered Yeoman service to the forestry
sector, not only within the country, but internationally as well. Research
achievements of this Institute in the field of silviculture, now spanning over
50 years, have founded the edifice of forestry and scientific forest management
in our country. Valuable scientific knowledge has been generated and documented
on the silviculture of over 550 species of trees; classification of forest
types of India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar; silviculture systems
for tropical forests; successful introduction of exotics, Eucalyptus, poplars,
Tropical Pines, Acacias and Leucaena leucocephala; seed technology of over 80
important forest tree seeds, and management of bamboos. Over 2000 sample plots,
established over the years, have provided data for compiling yield and volume
tables for over 120 tree species. Preservation plots established throughout the
country since 1929,have helped gain a better understanding of forest ecology,
biodiversity and the environment. The Institute's achievements in forest
products research, particularly during the world wars, have contributed
valuably to the development of forest based industries in the country. The
Arsenic-Copper Chromate treatment for wood preservation, developed by the
Institute, is now widely adopted throughout the world. Investigation on, and
documentation of, have helped timber utilising industries. The Institute has
also pioneered the process of pulping bamboos for paper making.
Over thirty five tools, developed by the Institute's Forest Operations
Division, have proved a boon to workers engaged in field forestry operations,
such as logging and tending, vastly improving efficiency levels, and
simultaneously contributing valuably towards the conservation of precious
timber resources.
Study and development of termite control measures and control of insect pests
of Sal, Shisham,Teak and Babul, rank among the foremost achievements of the
Entomology Division of the Forest Research Institute. Similarly, many
pioneering works have been accomplished in the field of Forest mycology and
pathology. Forest nurseries over the country nave benefited immensely,
producing quality seedings using insect-pest and disease control practices
pioneered at this Institute.
Notable among achievements in Forest Genetics are the development of hybrids of
Eucalyptus, capable of producing a lorger biomass, viz, FRI-4 and FRI-5,
creation of model seed orchards of teak and semul, and tissue culture of
eucalyptus.
Research in Non-wood Forest Products (NWFP) at FRI has led to several
noteworthy achievements of immense industrial importance,such as the
development of Rill method of tapping pines for resin extraction,perfection of
techniques for katha extraction from khair, extraction of oxalic acid from bark
of Terminalia tomentosa and T.arjuna and cultivation and utilisation practices
of a number of exotic aromatic and drug yielding plants.
The herbarium maintained by the Institute houses 330.000 authenticated plant
specimens,the best in the East. Its Xylarium, with a collection of over 18,000
wood specimens from India and abroad, qualifies the Institute as the best
source of reference for wood identification.
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