A Research entitled “Evaluation of the Growth, Biomass & Carbon Sequestration Potential ofSelected MPTs under Plantation” was carried out at Forestry Research Farm of BandaUniversity of Agriculture & Technology in Banda, Uttar Pradesh during the year 2022-2023 inseven plantation blocks of different Multipurpose Tree Species (MPTs). First experiment wascarried out to analyze the growth performance and carbon sequestration potential of 4.5-yearold selected MPTs blocks viz. Terminalia arjuna, Moringa oleifera, Peltophorumpterocarpum, Morus alba, Tectona grandis, Senna siamea and Pongamia pinnata. The resultsof the investigation revealed that M. oleifera displayed significantly superior growthparameters, with a tree height of 8.3 meters, girth of 0.64 meters, and basal area of 0.35 squaremeters, respectively. P. pterocarpum also exhibited remarkable performance in tree crownwidth, crown basal area, and crown volume, recording measurements of 5.7 m, 26.00 m2, and43.2 m3, respectively. Minimum tree height & stem volume was recorded for M. alba with avalue of 4.4 m & 0.0059 m3. While, T. grandis showed the minimum GBH 0.20 m, basal area0.003 m2, crown width 2.5m, crown basal area 5.3m2, crown volume 5.4m3 among the allselected MPTs. The order of carbon content in different tree species, from highest to lowest,was observed as follows: M. oleifera 30.94 kg/tree, P. pterocarpum 21.15 kg/tree, T. arjuna14.08 kg/tree, S. siamea 13.71 kg/tree, P. pinnata 7.00 kg/tree, M. alba 8.60 kg/tree and T.grandis 4.26 kg/tree. Among the tree species, M. oleifera exhibited the highest above andbelow-ground total green and dry biomass, recording 46.6 kg/tree and 15.24 kg/tree.Additionally, it sequestered the maximum amount of CO2, with 126.04 mg/ha. M. oleifera,showing to its higher mean growth parameters recorded the highest Average Aboveground &Belowground Biomass per tree 46.65 kg & 15.24 kg, followed by P. pterocarpum with values36.01 kg/tree, 6.21kg per tree respectively. While, T. grandisis observed the minimum AGB6.84kg & BGB 1.67 kg per tree. The physiochemical analysis of the soils revealed that, there issignificant variation in Soil pH, Soil EC & Soil Moisture, while Soil Bulk Density showedinsignificant variation for different soil layers of all the 8 treatments (7 MPTs plantation blocksand Fallow land). Soil pH ranged from 7.4 to 8.1, which reveals that soil of the study area isslightly alkaline in nature. Soil organic carbon in top layer (L1 0-15cm) was recorded highestunder Fallow land 0.33% which was closely followed by P. pterocarpum 0.32%, while leastwas observed for S. siamea 0.28%. In nutshell, we can say that M. oleifera with stand densityof 1111 tree/ha displayed maximum carbon storage potential 34.38 Mg ha-1 that helps tosequester about 126.04 CO2/Mg/ha from the atmosphere, while P. pterocarpum with standdensity of 400 tree/ha & carbon storage potential of 8.46 Mg ha-1, removes about 31.02CO2/Mg/ha from the atmosphere. The data generated from the study will serve as baseline datafor the future research.
