The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University launched an afforestation drive on its premises here recently.
The afforestation drive was by the Department of Agronomy at ₹ 10 lakh, which was a grant from the State government under the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives, said Department head Prof. C.R. Chinnamuthu.
The Department had planned to take up the afforestation drive in three phases and the recently held was the first phase, where 300 saplings were planted on a three-acre plot called the eastern block. The saplings were of timber trees.
To water the crops, the University would use treated sewage from hostels and faculty quarters, which would be fed to an underground drip irrigation system that was completely automated. The sensors underground would check the moisture and if it fell below 40%, they would switch on the motor for water supply.
In the second phase, termed multifunctional agro-forestry system, the University would plant saplings of fruit bearing trees with vegetables, fruit and greens as inter-crop. The third phase, the University would plant casuarina, Melia dubia (malai vembu) among others.
