Keora (SonneratiaapetalaBuch.-Ham.faccourds
for almost 95% of the successful mangrove plantations
in the coastal areas of Bangladesh (RIMS
1997). In Chittagong coast, it constitutes 22% of the
plantations. It is not much commercially valuable
species. Moreover, the plantations are severely
infested by a beehole borer, Zeuzera conferta (Baksha
1996). Replacement of S. apetala preferably by
more valuable species that appear at later stages of
succession is needed to ensure sustainability of
the plantations. With this in view, underplanting
trial in the established S. apetala plantations with
different mangrove species was initiated. An interim
report (Siddiqi et al. 1992) shows success and
suitability of underplanting in western coastline