Preliminary assessment of exponential nutrient loading and arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation on the physical growth of Acacia mangium and Khaya senegalensis seedlings in tropical forest nursery

Jeyanny, V. and K., Wan Rasidah and Lee, S. S. and Ghazali, M. H. and Fauzi, M. S. (2013) Preliminary assessment of exponential nutrient loading and arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation on the physical growth of Acacia mangium and Khaya senegalensis seedlings in tropical forest nursery. Journal of Tropical Plant Physiology, 2013 (5). pp. 10-21.

Text MSPP - 2013 2.pdf Restricted to Repository staff only Download (279kB)

Abstract

Acacia mangium and Khaya senegalensis have the potential to yield high quality timber for various wood products, namely, sawn timber, plywood, furniture and decorative works. Both species are popular for forest plantation in Malaysia. In order to enhance the growth and yield of these species, various methods involving soil enhancement has been introduced in plantation nursery. Exponential fertilization (EF) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation were reported to initiate superior growth via improved mineral nutrition. Thus, the combined use of AM inoculation and EF on the selected species was further assessed in this study. The effects of the treatment on the physical growth of A. mangium and K. senegalensis seedlings were investigated. Pot trials of uninoculated control with standard fertilization (control, F1M1), uninoculated with EF (120 mg/kg P) [F2M1], uninoculated with EF (240 mg/kg P) [F3M1] were administered. The same fertilization treatments were done for inoculated seedlings as F1M2, F2M2 and F3M2 treatments. The experiment was laid out in a complete randomized design. Seedling growth was monitored for five months in the nursery. Shoot height, stem diameter and number of phyllodes/leaves were recorded monthly. The combined effects of standard fertilization with inoculation improved the overall seedling growth of A. mangium (stem diameter and phyllodes number) and K. senegalensis seedlings (stem diameter, mean height and leaf number).

Actions (login required)

View Item