International Journal of Advance Agricultural Research
ISSN: 2053-1265
Vol. 11(1), pp. 1-11, March 2023
doi.org/10.33500/ijaar.2023.11.001

Organic fertilizers and watering frequency effects on Tetrapleura tetraptera seedlings survival and growth in nursery

Sedami Igor Armand YEVIDE¹*, Primaël Serge Bignon AGBODAINON¹, Essenam Esdora Christine DANSOU¹, Léger Nouchet ALANMENOU¹, Fabrice Jean Eudes Crédo GAHOUNGA¹, Roukayatou SADJI¹, and Abraham BAFFOE²

¹Laboratory of Plant, Horticultural and Forestry Sciences, School of Tropical Forestry, National University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 43 Ketou, Benin.
²Proforest limited, P. M. B. L76 Legon, Accra, Ghana.
.

*To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: yias01@yahoo.fr.

Received 13 February, 2023; Received in revised form 9 March, 2023; Accepted 14 March, 2023.

Abstract

Keywords:
Growth, Organic fertilizers, Seedlings, Tetrapleura tetraptera, Water deficiency.

Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schum and Thonn) is a multipurpose tree species of tropical Africa whose population is declining due to seed dormancy, over-exploitation, and inadequate information on silvicultural techniques for domestication and conservation. This study aimed to determine the effect of organic fertilizers and watering frequencies on seedlings survival and growth in order to improve T. tetraptera seedling growth without wasting water resources. A factorial experimental design of two factors and three replications was adopted. The first factor was formed by 3 types of substrates and the second by 5 watering frequencies. Seedlings’ height and stem collar diameter were measured, and the number of leaves and permanently withered seedlings were recorded weekly. The data collected were processed with an Excel 2020 spreadsheet and statistical analyses consisting of a two-way analysis of variance followed by a Tukey test were carried out with R version 4.0.3. The study revealed that, regardless of the substrates, the highest mortality rate was recorded for the watering frequency corresponding to once every 5 days. The sandy loam substrate without cow dung contributed to most mortality cases as well as being the substrate with the highest mortality rate. The statistical tests showed significant differences between the effect of substrates and watering frequencies taken separately on seedling height and stem collar diameter growth leading to the conclusion that, T. tetraptera seedlings perform well on fertilized substrates with watering frequencies ranging from once every 3 or 2 days. The perspective of inoculation as a way of further improving seedlings’ survival and growth has been discussed.