Seedling quality of Cariniana pyriformis produced under different containers in protected environment

Calidad de plántulas de Cariniana pyriformis producidas con diferentes contenedores en ambiente protegido

ABSTRACT

Cariniana pyriformis is a native arboreal of Colombia with high forestry potential in pure plantations and agroforestry systems of Theobroma cacao. In an agricultural nursery with plastic cover, production and seedling quality were evaluated with a complete randomized block design and three replications using three plastic containers (treatments): bags (1700 cm³), tube trays (700 cm³) and multicellular trays (650 cm³). Between 120 (bags) and 135 (tube trays) days after sowing (das), the seedlings reached 25 cm in height and 3 mm in stem diameter. The shoot dry mass (p= 0.0179) and root dry mass (p= 0.0327) of seedlings at 160 das were higher in the bags as compared to seedlings grown in the tube trays. In parallel, the production of C. pyriformis seedlings in multicellular trays achieved quality indexes very similar to those obtained employing the bags, but with a 60% reduction in the cost per seedling.

Keywords
Colombian mahogany; Propagation; Lecythidaceae; Nursery