Here is why you should plant babool

Source: The post is based on the article “Here is why you should plant babool” published in the DTE on 27th May 2023

What is the News?

Various studies have shown that arid plant babool has many benefits.

About Babool

It is a perennial, evergreen tree which is indigenous to Indian Sub-continent as well as in Tropical Africa, Burma, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and West and East Sudan. It occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of India.

India is home to at least three of nine subspecies of the tree, with natural babool forests found in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Karnataka.

Historically in India, the bitter babool has been used as a famine food in arid and semi-arid regions like Rajasthan.

What are the various benefits of Babool?

Almost every part of the babool tree is packed with medicinal properties.

Seeds: High in nutritional value such as Protein, fibre, fat, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Iron, Manganese

Its seed oil can be an alternative to chemicals for controlling major farm pests.

Pods: Its pods have Antibacterial properties and are effective against gram-positive bacteria.

Its pods also act as a natural food preservative. Its pod extracts can replace synthetic food preservatives and inhibit microbial spoilage.

Leaves: Its young leaves improve digestion. Together with pods, leaves are used as feed for animals, providing comparable nutrition to cottonseed meal.

Stem and Bark: Woody stems keep teeth clean and gums healthy; Bark treats burns, skin diseases, and infected wounds.

Other benefits include,

Nitrogen-Fixing and Reclamation: Babool helps in the reclamation of degraded areas by fixing nitrogen and acting as a windbreak.

Biodiversity and Climate Resilience: Planting babool trees benefits biodiversity and helps combat desertification.