Effectiveness of organic potting media for raising mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) seedlings in Western Samoa

Peseta Olevia, . and Woods Paul V., . and Webb Michael J., . Effectiveness of organic potting media for raising mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) seedlings in Western Samoa. pp. 552-560. ISSN 0128-1283

The suitability of two organic potting media for raising mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) seedlings was compared with the standard operational practice of using forest soil. Several rates of addition of a slow release nursery fertiliser were added to each growth medium. Effects of treatments on nursery growth and subsequent performance in the field were assessed. Seedling heights at the end of the nursery phase (111 days) were greatest in pots with soil without added fertiliser and in brewers waste/ sawdust and coir potting media with a moderate amount of slow release fertiliser (4g 1). Both increasing and decreasing the rate of slow release fertiliser from 4g 11 reduced seedling height. Ten months after planting out in the field the trees raised in coir in the nursery were significantly greater in height diameter and volume than trees raised in a soil medium. These results suggest that the use of organic nursery media can produce seedlings that grow significantly faster in the first year after outplanting than seedlings raised in soil. Further research is required to refine the characteristics and method of preparation of the organic media using raw materials which are freely available in Western Samoa.

Full text available from: Official URL: http://www.frim.gov.my/v1/JTFSOnline/jtfs/v10n4/55...

Abstract

The suitability of two organic potting media for raising mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) seedlings was compared with the standard operational practice of using forest soil. Several rates of addition of a slow release nursery fertiliser were added to each growth medium. Effects of treatments on nursery growth and subsequent performance in the field were assessed. Seedling heights at the end of the nursery phase (111 days) were greatest in pots with soil without added fertiliser and in brewers waste/ sawdust and coir potting media with a moderate amount of slow release fertiliser (4g 1). Both increasing and decreasing the rate of slow release fertiliser from 4g 11 reduced seedling height. Ten months after planting out in the field the trees raised in coir in the nursery were significantly greater in height diameter and volume than trees raised in a soil medium. These results suggest that the use of organic nursery media can produce seedlings that grow significantly faster in the first year after outplanting than seedlings raised in soil. Further research is required to refine the characteristics and method of preparation of the organic media using raw materials which are freely available in Western Samoa.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Swietenia macrophylla
AGROVOC Term:	Seedlings
AGROVOC Term:	Organic soils
AGROVOC Term:	Potting
AGROVOC Term:	Forest soils
AGROVOC Term:	Fertilizers
AGROVOC Term:	Controlled release
AGROVOC Term:	Organic foods
AGROVOC Term:	Nursery grounds
AGROVOC Term:	Forestry development
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 06:27
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/22573

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