❖ Common name- Karanja

❖ Scientific name- Pongamia pinnata

❖ Classification-

Kingdom- Plantae

Family- Fabaceae

Order- Fabales

❖ Mode of propagation-

Karanja can be sown or propagated by branch cuttings or root suckers. Its growth is fairly slow in its early stages of development, and annual weed control is necessary during the first 3 years after. It should be planted in blocks with 2 x 2 m or 5 x 5 m spacing. It produces profuse root suckers and is not suitable as an agroforestry species. The karanja tree starts fruiting 4 to 7 years after planting and full production is achieved within 10 years.

❖ Uses-

Karanja is increasingly used for oil production due to its use in biodiesel. The oil was formerly used for lighting, as a raw material for soaps, varnishes and paints, to repel insects in storage instalments, and as a mosquito repellent. Karanja wood can be used for fuel, and the resulting ashes as a dyeing agent. Roots yield pinnatin, a dyeing pigment. The bark is fibrous and can be turned into rope. The leaves are potential sources of fodder. The fragrant flowers are a source of pollen and nectar from which bees produce dark honey. The karanja tree hosts lac insects and is valued as an ornamental plant. Many parts of the tree are used in ethnomedicine. The karanja tree is an important species for afforestation. Leaf shedding produces large amounts of organic litter. Oil extraction yields a press cake that can be used as a fertilizer or as animal feed for ruminants and poultry.