WILD ROBUSTA COFFEE (COFFEA CANEPHORA FROEHNER) SEEDLING RECRUITMENT AND SURVIVAL IN KIBALE NATIONAL PARK, UGANDA

Abstract

Survival of wild robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) seedlings on the forest understorey in Kibale National Park was monitored and analyzed in response to a number of mortality factors, such as fungal diseases, herbivory, desiccation, trampling, and litter of other plant species. A comparison was made with wild coffee seedlings germinated in the laboratory and transplanted in the Botanic Garden under two light conditions. There was a general decrease in the number of coffee seedlings with time under all treatments and in all sites. Seedling mortality rate was initially rapid but later slowed down to a steady rate. Seedling mortality was highest on plots with intact ground vegetation cover and lowest on plots without ground vegetation and leaf litter. In the Botanic Garden, seedlings grown on plots partially illuminated had a much lower mortality rate and longer half-life than those grown on fully illuminated plots. Fungal infection affected the largest percentage of coffee seedlings, followed by herbivory. Trampling had the least effect on coffee seedlings. The effects of all mortality factors on coffee seedlings decreased with age under all treatments.