Leucaena for paper industry in Gujarat, India: Case study

Abstract

Keynote paper presented at the International Leucaena Conference, 1‒3 November 2018, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.India is one of the major producers/consumers of paper and pulp products (3–4% of global share). Approximately one-fourth of industry raw material has come from wood-based plantations from the 1990s onwards. The greatest development challenge faced by the industry since that time is sourcing robust raw material from agroforestry on private lands. Following genetic improvement of leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) and realization of its potential as a multiple-use species, it was introduced into India in 1980 under an international cooperation effort with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). It has since spread across the country as a panacea for rural needs of fuel wood, small timber and cattle forage.The paper industry has found that it has potential as raw material for paper making. One of the largest Indian paper companies is JK Paper Ltd, which has an annual production capacity of 550,000 t/yr with 3 integrated pulp and paper plants located at Songadh (Gujarat), Rayagada (Orissa) and Kagaznagar (Telangana) producing writing and printing paper and virgin packaging boards.This case study describes the leucaena farm forestry plantation program initiated by JK Paper Ltd, Unit CPM (Central Pulp Mills). The unit, under its agroforestry and farm forestry plantation approach, planted leucaena plantations in 2009-2010 in parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh States. To motivate farmers in the mill’s catchment area, and to build confidence in on-farm plantations, exposure visits were arranged to Andhra Pradesh, where huge tracts of agricultural land were under leucaena plantations. As a result, to date, this unit has engaged >7,800 farmers who have established leucaena plantations covering an area of >18,400 ha.A robust plantation R&D network addressed issues such as seed treatment, seed germination, rhizobial inoculation, geometry of plantations, agro-forestry models, selection and development of high production clones, establishment of clonal seed orchards, genetic improvement through mutation techniques and hybridization programs for wood quality improvement.

Effect of sodium hypochlorite concentration during pre-treatment on isolation of nanocrystalline cellulose from Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) mature pods

“…Proximate and Amino Acid Analysis of L. leucocephala Mature Pods Leucaena leucocephala, also known as petai belalang in Malaysia, is one of the fast-growing leguminous trees (Sethi and Kulkarni 1995). In India, it is an important plant that is encouraged to be grown under social forestry schemes, as it provides useful timber and paper industry (Khanna et al 2019). In this study, the proximate and amino acid composition of L. leucocephala mature pods were investigated, and its suitability for the raw material for isolation of nanocrystalline cellulose was determined.…”

“…The species is also used for pulp and paper production due to its low lignin content (Pandey and Kumar 2013). In India, a Leucaena leucocephala farm forestry plantation program initiated by JK Paper Ltd had been developed because of its potential to be used as a new material for the paper industry (Khanna et al 2019).…”

International Leucaena Conference 2018: Highlights and priorities

“…The JK Paper Ltd company in Gujarat, India, in their program to produce higher-yielding clones for paper pulp, uses misting chambers to produce rooted cuttings of their best clonal selections of L. leucocephala and of a triploid hybrid of L. leucocephala × L. collinsii (Khanna et al 2019). Nulik and Kana Hau (2019) reported success with bare-stem seedlings generated in purpose-sown highdensity nurseries or by retrieval of volunteer seedlings under established tree rows.…”

“…Tarramba, as well as many hybrid lines, showed excellent potential as biofuel and recommended planting configurations that provided triple bottom-line benefits. Khanna et al (2019) reported that India was a major producer and consumer of paper and pulp products and has developed leucaena plantations to provide raw materials for industry. One of the largest Indian paper companies (JK Paper Ltd) has promoted establishment of leucaena plantations in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh States with >7,800 farmers planting areas totalling >18,400 ha for producing paper pulp.…”

Allelopathy and Allelochemicals of Leucaenaleucocephala as an Invasive Plant Species

“…The wood is strong and medium density, and suitable for carpentry materials. Its caloric value as fuelwood is about 4600 calories per kg, and its biochar improves soil property of crop fields [16][17][18][19].…”