Dr. K.S. Yadav Assistant Professor (Horticulture) School of Agricultural Sciences & Technology RIMT University, Mandi Gobindgarh. EBONY Botanical name: Diospyros ebenum Family: Ebenaceae Chromosome no.: 2n=28 Introduction: Ebony consists of tropical shrubs or trees that are deciduous. Most belong to the genus Diospyros, which is found primarily in India, Sri Lanka, and Africa. A few ebony plants, such as the Texas ebony or the persimmon, grow in warm temperate regions. Heartwood is most often black, but some can also be dark red, green, and black with shades of yellow or orange. The stem contains tannin cells but lacks milky sap. The “tree of music” as it is famously called, ebony is one of the most expensive wood-yielding group of trees in the world. Famous for its hardwood and inability to float, the name ebony is essentially given to a group of plants with these characteristic features. The most prominent feature, however, is that which is related to its name; the wood is black or the darkest wood in the plant world. Uses: Modern uses are largely restricted to small items, such as crucifixes, and musical instrument parts, including black piano and harpsichord keys, violin, viola, mandolin, guitar, double bass, and cello fingerboards, tailpieces, pegs, chinrests, and bow frogs. Many plectrums, or guitar picks, are made from this black wood. Traditionally, the black pieces in chess sets were made from ebony, with boxwood or ivory being used for the white pieces. Modern East Midlands-style lace-making bobbins, also being small, are often made of ebony and look particularly decorative when bound with brass or silver wire. Due to its strength, many handgun grips and rifle fore-end tips are made of ebony, as are the butts of pool cues. Climate and soil: This ebony shrub grows to a height of 75 feet. Found extensively in India and Pakistan, this tree tolerates frost, grows well in the tropics and mild temperate areas, and is also not fussy about its soil type. Trees grow on elevated, hilly areas as well as they do on the plains. Varieties/species: Diospyros ebenum is considered to be the true ebony. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Mauritius. The tree is about 90 feet tall with a trunk length of 27 feet above which the canopy of foliage rests. These trees are propagated via stumps or seeds. Diospyros melanoxylem is shorter than Diospyros ebenum. This ebony shrub grows to a height of 75 feet. Found extensively in India and Pakistan, this tree tolerates frost, grows well in the tropics and mild temperate areas, and is also not fussy about its soil type. Diospyros melanoxylon is also a major species in Africa. The main areas where ebony is cultivated in Africa are Tanzania and Mozambique. In Swahili, this ebony tree is called Mpingo. Diospyros dignya is an evergreen, deciduous, temperate shrub with a maximum height of 75 feet and found predominantly in Guatemala and Mexico. This species is locally known as the black persimmon. Diospyros blancoi grows luxuriously in Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. The fruit is considered to be exotic, and is eaten when ripe. It is also added to salads. The timber is black and heavy as in most ebony species. The trees are also grown as ornamental plants. Page 1 of 2 Diospyros ebenum Ebanopsis ebano also called as Texas ebony, is a large, stately tree that grows to a height of 135 feet. It is deciduous and xerophytic in nature, thriving well in arid conditions. Texas ebony, as the name implies, is found in Texas and in other southern states such as Florida. While this plant is desert tolerant, giving it additional water during its juvenile phase will hasten its growth. Propagation: Its seed has a very short viability and so should be sown as soon as possible. The flesh should be removed since this contains germination inhibitors. Sow the seed in a shady position in a nursery seedbed. The sowing media for ebony uses soil and fine sand at the ratio 3:1. The seed is planted horizontally or vertically with the radical end down, with a sowing depth of 1-1½ times the thickness of seed. Distance between the seeds is 3-5 cm. Seeds are very sensitive to desiccation during germination and early growth, so must be regularly watered at this time. Normally the seed will germinate after one week. In one trial, fresh seed, sown one day after collection, showed 85% germination rate within 17-65 days. Irrigation: In general, irrigation is applied according to soil and climatic condition. Agroforestry practices: Very promising as shade tree in cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) plantations. Plant protection: There are many pests known to attack the ebony trees. Some species of ebony are more resistant, while others are highly susceptible. Mites, thrips, and stem borers can cause havoc to the plant by either eating the leaves or fruits or eating through the heartwood and boring tunnels. Mealy bugs can be a menace to young shoots, killing the plant even before it has a chance to reach full maturity. The Palo Verde borer is a menace in the larval form as it lays larvae in the soil that can attack the plant, feeding on its root and nutrients for as long as three years before detection. In most cases, the pests can be controlled by the topical use of organic pesticides. However, for the case of larval infestation of the pest, the best options would be to keep the plant well nourished with organic feeds and fertilizers. Many species of ebony are good at fixing nitrogen and accommodate many economically important plants like cardamom to grow in its shade. Questions: 1. Write the botanical name, family and chromosome number of ebony. 2. What are the various uses of ebony? 3. Write down climatic and soil requirement of ebony. 4. What are the various species of ebony? 5. Write about propagation, irrigation and agro-forestry practices of ebony. 6. Write the plant protection measure of ebony. References: 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebony. 2. tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Diospyros+ebenum. 3. www.agrimoon.com developed by TNAU, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Page 2 of 2 .