Effect of Soll Composition on Seedling Growth and Quality of Cordia Africana at Holetta in the Central High Lands of Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted at Holetta Agricultural Research Center (HARC) at forestry tree nursery site. The objective of the experiment was to determine the best soil media and soil mixtures or substrate for the growth and seedling quality of cordia Africana around Holeta. The experiment comprised 10 treatments with different mixing ratios of local /agricultural/ soil, animal manure and sand. The primary goal of seedling quality assessment was to quantify levels of morphological and physiological attributes that result in an accurate assessment of tree seedlings conditions and potentials for vigorous growth and development. The results indicated of shoot height and root collar diameter, total dry matte yield and its partitioning (leaves, petioles, stems and roots), Leaf Weight Ratio (LWR) and Weight to Height Ratio (WHR, Estimated Leaf Area (ELA) and Actual Leaf Area (ALA) showed the highest values in the soil mixture having none local soil, two parts of animal manure and one part of sand. The seedlings showed a growth function after 160 days of planting assuring the fast growing character of Cordia africana seedlings. Shoot height, root length and root collar diameter showed strong positive correlation with each other, total dry biomass yield, actual and estimated leaf area.

Keywords: nursery, substrate, seedling, manure, sand