Study on production amount and importance of forest byproducts in forest household’s income at Rudsar, Guilan Province, Case study: Medlar (Mespilus germanica) fruit

Keyvan Behju, Farshad; Ghanbari, Sajad; Moradi, Ghorban

Study on production amount and importance of forest byproducts in forest household’s income at Rudsar, Guilan Province, Case study: Medlar (Mespilus germanica) fruit

Document Type : Scientific article

Authors

Farshad keyvan behju ¹

Sajad Ghanbari ²

Ghorban Moradi ³

¹ Associate Professor, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardebili, Ardebil, I.R. Iran.

² Assistant professor, Department of Forestry, Ahar Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tabriz, Ahar, I.R. Iran.

³ M.Sc. of Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardebili, Ardebil, I.R. Iran.

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to collect information about production, collection, consumption and processing of medlar (Mespilus germanica) at Rudsar county, Guilan province. Data were collected within 30 samples, each one hectare, by randomly systematic sampling method. We measured tree characteristics such as large and small crown diameter (LCD and SCD), diameter at breast height (DBH), and fruit weight. Other data about collection, consumption, processing and household income was gathered by semi-structured questionnaire by surveying of 120 households. The correlation analysis showed that LCD (0.494) and DBH (0.487) had a significant correlation with fruit weight in 99% confidence interval. The average fruit weight was 13.6 kg per tree. Considering average trees/ha and mean fruit weight/tree, 190 kg fruit per hectare was expected to be collected annually. Total annual household collection was 3739 kg. The highest quantity of consumption belonged to Siyahkal Chal with 200 kg. The lowest quantity belonged to Lusara with 35 kg. Annual household income from fruit harvesting varied from 1259 to 50000 thousand Rials

Keywords

Collection

Household income

Medlar

Processing

Production