Effects of Different Potting Mixture on Early Development of <i>Afzelia quanzesis </i>Welw. Species Seedlings

Abstract

Planting native plant species is becoming increasingly important as the world begins to realise the importance of restoring ecosystems, especially since many valuable species are on the brink of extinction due to human over-exploitation. <i>Afzelia quanzensis</i> Welw. is one of the valuable timber species, highly targeted in uncontrolled selective loggings, hence threatening its existence. This study assessed the effects of different potting mixtures on <i>A. quanzensis</i> early seed germination, which is an essential step for its mass propagation. Four different potting mixtures: T1 (forest soil, agricultural residues, tobacco, and cow manures), T2 (forest soil, tobacco manure), T3 (forest soil and cow manure), and T4 (forest soil and agricultural residues) were utilised. Employing a completely randomised design with each mixture replicated four times, the study monitored growth parameters, such as leaf count and seedling height, over one month. Results from two-way ANOVA with Turkey’s multiple comparisons test showed that forest soil and cow manure (T3) yielded the tallest plants and highest scores of leaf count. The study provides valuable insights for nursery managers and researchers working on the mass propagation of the <i>A. quanzensis</i> tree species for plantations in the region.