Indigenous management practices of betel-leaf (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Piper betle</i> L.) cultivation by the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Khasia </i>community in Bangladesh

Abstract

The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Khasia</i> community, living within reserve forests of Sylhet division mostly in Moulvibazar district. Traditionally they grow betel-leaf on trees which is different from plain land betel-leaf cultivation. Tree based betel-leaf cultivation is a productive and sustainable agroforestry system. Average farm size is about 1.21 hectares per family. The study recorded 86 support tree species in the farm land. Stocking density in the farm land is 1452 trees per hectare excluding seedlings and saplings, with a wide variety of diameter classes. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Artocarpus chama</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Areca catechu </i>are the most suitable support tree species for betel-leaf farming. Farmers propagates betel vine through stem cutting. June-August is the optimum time for planting betel vine. Support tree pruning and mulching are essential management practices for betel-leaf farming. Leaf rot and stem rot are two common diseases occur in betel-leaf farm. Male members conduct farm activity and harvesting of betel-leaf and the female members operate betle leaf processing and marketing. The state of the art of betel-leaf cultivation as a viable and sustainable farm, lie in its management practices, a skill of the Khasia community. To extend this farming practice one is to understand its cultivation and management practices.