<strong>Ecorestoration</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Banni</strong> <strong>Grassland</strong> 20
competition. Even useful fodder bushes such as Zizyphus nummularia should not be allowed to grow more than 4 per cent in a grazing area, so as to maintain the forage production from the pasture (Ganguli et. al. 1964). With the above view, Prosopis juliflora and other unwanted bushes growing inside the restoration site were totally uprooted with the help <strong>of</strong> Gujarat Forest Development Corporation. 3.3 Reseeding <strong>of</strong> Grass Species Succession <strong>of</strong> vegetation in a natural sequence is a time consuming process and can be expected to succeed in the desired direction only if the nucleus <strong>of</strong> the plant material is available in productive stage on a given site. Plantation <strong>of</strong> seed slightly below the surface after scratching it or in strips with appropriate species <strong>of</strong> grasses is the quickest and most ensured method <strong>of</strong> improvement <strong>of</strong> degraded grassland (Kanodia and Patil, 1983). For reseeding, first preference was given for indigenous grass varieties, which normally grow under arid climatic and soil conditions <strong>of</strong> <strong>Banni</strong>. Therefore, indigenous seeds were obtained from <strong>Banni</strong> Development Agency, Bhuj. Apart from this, seeds were also obtained from Indian <strong>Grassland</strong> and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi. The indigenous species such as; Cenchrus setigerus, Sporobolus sp., Eurochondra sp., Dichanthium annulatum, Chloris barbata and Cenchrus ciliaris, were selected for sowing in the restoration site. The selection <strong>of</strong> indigenous species was based on the fact that they have genetically acquired several adaptations to survive in the harsh climatic and soil conditions. Therefore, they were expected to thrive well in the restoration sites where more suitable conditions for grass growth were already created. Apart from this, species such as; Chrysopogan fulvus and Pennisetum pedicellatum were also sown in small quantities. The later species was not reported from <strong>Banni</strong> area. The performance such as growth and productivity <strong>of</strong> this species in the restoration site would help in planning for future large-scale introduction <strong>of</strong> such species in entire <strong>Banni</strong> area. The reseeding activity, it is hoped, would increase the seed bank <strong>of</strong> the area and thereby enrich the grass density and diversity <strong>of</strong> the restoration site. In arid area, under rainfed conditions, the sowing <strong>of</strong> grass seeds is normally done in the months <strong>of</strong> June / July with the onset <strong>of</strong> monsoon. To enhance <strong>Ecorestoration</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Banni</strong> <strong>Grassland</strong> the germination and uniform distribution <strong>of</strong> seeds, the seeds were mixed with soil and farmyard manure. Then they were thoroughly mixed by sprinkling water. This reduce the transport <strong>of</strong> seeds through wind and the moisture in the seed mixture hastens the process <strong>of</strong> germination. Care was taken that, the seed sown was covered by 1 to 2 cm soil layer. Since, the grass seeds are too small, the stored germplasm is insufficient to support the germination and growth <strong>of</strong> seedlings from deeper soil layers. The stocking rate <strong>of</strong> seeds varied with the species. Normal stocking rate <strong>of</strong> seed reported is; 2.5 kg/ha for Dichanthium annulatum, 5 kg/ha for Cenchrus ciliaris and Cenchrus setigerus, 5 kg/ha for Sporobolus sp. etc. to 75 kg/ha for Lasiurus species. However, keeping the view <strong>of</strong> the near absence <strong>of</strong> seed bank in the restoration sites, nearly 3-4 times higher seed rate than the normal were stocked. The Bhirandiyara restoration site was divided into four sub-compartments, each covering an area <strong>of</strong> approximately 3.4 ha. The first compartment, covering an area <strong>of</strong> 3.4 ha was kept under natural condition (Compartment 1), where the fencing (trench and barbed wire) ensured complete protection from livestock grazing. Pure as well as mixed combination (for Eg. Cenchrus sp. with Sporobolus sp.) <strong>of</strong> grass seeds were sown within the compartment, however, a strip (10m width and 250 m length) covering an area <strong>of</strong> 3750 m 2 was kept completely under natural condition where no sowing <strong>of</strong> grass seed was undertaken. The basic view was that, the area devoid <strong>of</strong> seed sowing resembled very much to that <strong>of</strong> the area out side the fenced area <strong>of</strong> the site. The only difference between these two was that the former received protection from grazing while the later was subjected to grazing pressures. Hence, a comparison <strong>of</strong> the productivity <strong>of</strong> grass species <strong>of</strong> the said area with that <strong>of</strong> outside the fenced site would provide the effect <strong>of</strong> grazing pressure that existed in the area. The mixed combinations <strong>of</strong> seeds were used to understand the better species association in terms <strong>of</strong> productivity. At Dhordo restoration site, the whole area was divided into 30 m wide strips. Ploughing, broadcasting <strong>of</strong> grass seeds and adding <strong>of</strong> farmyard manure was carried out at alternative strips. 3.4 Fertiliser Application In the natural pastures <strong>of</strong> arid regions, scope <strong>of</strong> fertilisation is limited mainly due to uncertainty <strong>of</strong> 21
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