Effect of different potting mixtures and nutrient treatments on the survival, growth and development of pinus caribaea seedlings.

Maghembe, J. A.

Effect of different potting mixtures and nutrient treatments on the survival, growth and development of pinus caribaea seedlings.

Date

1977

Authors

Maghembe, J. A.

Publisher

University of Dar es Salaam

Abstract

The effect of different soil mixtures, cow manure, crushed charcoal and NFK fertilizer application methods on survival yellowing, growth and development of Pinus caribaes Nor. Var. hondurensis Barr and Golf. Seedlings were studied over a 63/4 month period at the University of Dar Es Salaam forest nursery, Mafiga, Morogoro. The study period covered late August 1976 to early March 1977. The mean monthly minimum and mean monthly maximum temperatures during this period ranged from 14.9 to 22.5oC and from 28.0 to 33.6oC respectively. The total monthly rainfall ranged from 3.9 to 61.6mm in the period August to December 1976 (dry period) and from 128 to 158.2mm from January to March 1977 (rainy period). The study involved a 4x3x2x2 factorial arrangement in which sandy soil was given four levels of forest top soil, two levels of cow manure, two levels of crushed charcoal and three NFK fertilizer regimes. The mixtures were filled into polythene tubes and transplanted with Pinus caribaea seedlings. The results show that manure causes adverse effects on the survival and growth in pinus caribaea seedlings and induces yellowing of their needles under lowland high calcium and magnesium content and its alkalinity which jointly cause marked nutrient imbalances in the growth media. Crushed charcoal similarly affected the survival and growth of the seedlings but its effect on the yellowing of the seedlings were not significant. The incorporation of manure and charcoal in the mixture had additive adverse effects on all the parameters studied due to extreme nutrient imbalance. While sandy soil alone (without any additive) produced satisfactory survival, it did not produce panting size seedlings in the 63/4-month growth period. However, soil and fertilizer (without manure and-or-charcoal) produced satisfactory results in the same period. The100% sand soil + F1 or F2 fertilizer regimes produced satisfactory results and are recommended as suitable potting mixtures for raising Pinus caribaea seedlings. The mixture given the F2 regime being better than the F1. Other suitable potting mixtures were also those containing 70% sandy soil +30% forest top soil + F2 fertilizer regime; and 50% sandy soil +50% forest top soil + F2 fertilizer regime. The results of this study have demonstrated the importance of the composition of the potting mixture on raising Pinus caribaea seedlings.

Description

Available in print form

Keywords

Pinus Cariboea, Seedlings, Seeds, Mafiga, Morogoro

Citation

Maghembe, J. A. (1977). Effect of different potting mixtures and nutrient treatments on the survival, growth and development of pinus caribaea seedlings. Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/search.aspx?formtype=advanced)