The Growth Performance of Triplochiton scleroxylon, Terminalia superba and Ceiba pentandra in Pure and Mixed Stands.

Abstract

Plantation developers mostly prefer exotic to indigenous tree species in restoration of degraded forests due, perhaps to, inadequate information on indigenous tree plantations to enable them change in that direction. The study was conducted at the Jimira Forest Reserve in the Nkawie Forest District to compare the growth performance of Ceiba pentandra, Terminalia superba and Triplochiton scleroxylonin their pure and mixed stands. Four plots, each divided into four subplots measuring 50m x 50m, of one hectare demarcated represented three pure stands of Ceiba pentandra, Terminalia superba and Triplochiton scleroxylon and one mixed stand of the three species. Simple random sampling was used to a subplot from each plotand diameter and height measurements were taken. The mean growth rates in diameter of Ceiba pentandra, Terminalia superba, and Triplochiton scleroxylon in the pure stands and the mixed stand were 1.73 and 1.61cm/year; 1.77 and 2.02 cm/year; and 2.70 and 2.57 cm/year respectively and those in height were 1.06 and 0.80 m/year; 1.16 and 1.25 m/year; and 1.98 and 1.59 m/year respectively. The statistical analysis carried out to determine the variations in tree diameter and height in the pure and mixed stands indicated no significant differences.

Keywords: Growth Performance, Triplochiton scleroxylon, Terminalia superba, Ceiba pentandra, Pure and Mixed Stands.

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-4-07