Effect of Different Potting Mixture on the Seedling Growth and Survival of Albizia Gummifera and Cordia Africana

Abstract

A potting mixture experiment was executed on Cordia africana Lam. and Albizia gummifera at Awassa tree nursery. Nine different soil mixture ratios and local top soil as control were compared using two prominent indigenous agroforestry tree species in order to study the effect of different potting substrate on the seedling growth performance and survival in nursery and field conditions. The soil mixture experiment was laid out in complete randomized design with three replications, The potting mixtures were T1 ( 6 part forest soil: 3 part compost: 1 sand), T2 ( 6 part forest soil: 2  part compost: 2 sand), T3 ( 6 part forest soil: 1 part compost: 3 sand), T4  ( 5 part forest soil: 4 part compost: 1 sand), T5 ( 5 part forest soil: 3 part compost: 2 sand), T6 ( 5 part forest soil: 2 part compost: 3 sand), T7 ( 4 part forest soil: 3 part compost: 3 sand), T8  ( 4 part forest soil: 4 part compost: 2 sand), T9 ( 3 part forest soil: 2 part compost: 1 sand), and T10 ( local top soil or control). The results of the current investigation revealed that seedling growth and survival were high significantly (P< 0.01) affected by different potting mixtures. The tree seedling response was variable for soil mix, when potting mixtures with more compost were applied. The seedlings shoot and root length, number of primary and secondary roots, shoot and root dry matter, survival rate and sapling height were highly significant (P< 0.01) for both tree seedlings in T4. Hence, the soil substrate T4 (5:4:1) is recommended to C. africana and A. gummifera seedling production and their plantation success thereof.

Key words: potting mixture, growth, survival, seedling, C. africana, A. gummifera.