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Effects of Phosphorous Fertilizer on Seedlings Growth and Nodulation Capabilities of Some Popular Agroforestry Tree Species of Bangladesh

Mohammad Belal Uddin
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, School of Agriculture and Mineral Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh

Sharif Ahmed Mukul *
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, School of Agriculture and Mineral Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh

Mohammed Abu Sayed Arfin Khan
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, School of Agriculture and Mineral Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh

Mohammed Kamal Hossain
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences (IFES), Chittagong University, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of Phosphorous (P) fertilizer (i.e. TSP or triple super phosphate @ 80 kg/hm² ) on seedling growth and nodulation capabilities of three potentially important agroforestry tree species (Acacia auriculiformis, Albizia lebbeck and Albizia procera) of Bangladesh. The study was conducted in nursery beds with six-month-old polybag seedlings of A. auriculiformis, A. lebbeck and A. procera. The effects of P fertilizer on seedling growth and nodulation were compared with that of the seedlings grown in control (i.e. unfertilized soil). The observations revealed that the seedling growth was enhanced significantly with the application of P fertilizer. The growth was found more pronounced in A. auriculiformis, whereas it was not apparent and shows depressed growth in case of A. lebbeck. The study also suggests that the nodulation in terms of nodule number and size was also increased significantly with the application of P fertilizer.

Keywords: Phosphorous fertilizer; TSP; Agroforestry; A. auriculiformis; A. lebbeck; A. procera; Growth parameters; Nodulation

Location:

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Fertilizer, Agroforestry

Objectives:

To report the effects of P fertilizer on seedling growth and nodulation capabilities of these three potentially useful agroforestry tree components of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Experiment environment The entire experiment was conducted in nursery polybag (6 inch × 4 inch in size), with a mean monthly maximum temperature of 29.75°C and a minimum temperature of 21.14°C. The area is subjected to an average annual rainfall of 2500−3000 mm, mostly concentrating between June and September. Polybags was filled with soil of similar composition containing garden soil and farmyard manure in a 3:1 proportion. The receptor species Six-month-old healthy seedlings of three leguminous agroforestry tree species, i.e. A. auriculiformis, A. lebbeck and A. procera, were used as receptor species for the experiment. Seedlings were collected from the nursery, maintaining their phenotypical uniformity as far as possible. The control and treatments TSP fertilizer [Ca(H2PO4)2; containing 48% of P2O5] was applied as treatment at each polybag (@ 80 kg/hectare). No TSP fertilizer was used in the controls. Fertilizer was applied immediately after collection and arrangements of the seedlings in case of treatments. The following control (C) and treatments (T) were used: C20- Seedlings of unfertilized plants harvested after 20 days; C40- Seedlings of unfertilized plants harvested after 40 days; C60- Seedlings of unfertilized plants harvested after 60 days; C80 - Seedlings of unfertilized plants harvested after 80 days; T20- Seedlings of fertilized plants harvested after 20 days; T40- Seedlings of fertilized plants harvested after 40 days; T60- Seedlings of fertilized plants harvested after 60 days ; T80 - Seedlings of fertilized plants harvested after 80 days. Experiment design and data recording Altogether eight treatments (i.e. four controls and four treatments) were designed with three replicates for each species. Twenty four seedlings of each species were collected. In total 72 polybag seedlings were arranged in four groups- 4 control and 4 treatments of each three receptor species. Groups of each species were arranged in such a manner so that plants can be harvested at every 20-day intervals up to 80 days with almost the entire root system in-tact. Collar diameter, root length, root diameter, shoot length, leaf number, nodule number and size of seedlings were recorded at each 20-days interval after every harvesting. Care, maintenance and precautions The seedlings were kept under nursery shade to protect strong sunlight and heavy rainfall. Proper care maintenance and precaution were followed during the whole study period. During the period of applying fertilizers, care was taken so that they were not superficially applied on the top of the polybags. Seedlings were watered in the morning of everyday and weeding was done in every third day.

Source of Information: Journal of Forestry Research, 18 (4): 283? 286 (2007)

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: 10.1007/s11676-007-0054-4

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The result of this study is in accordance with the findings of Totey (1992) and Sundralingam (1983), who have also found the significant positive effect of P-fertilizers on Tectona grandis. Bhuyiyan et al. (2000); Sanginga et al. (1989) and Bhatnagar (1978) have reported the acceleration of growth parameters on the application of P-fertilizer, particularly on Casuarina spp. The significant effects of P fertilizers on plant height, collar dia, root length etc are also evident from the study of Verma et al. (1996) on Dalbergia sissoo and Sundralingam (1983) on T. grandis. An excess of application of P-fertilizers also reduce the seedling growth of A. lebbeck which may hamper the seedling growth by the initiation of toxic effects. This supported the findings of Van der Driessche (1980), who reviewed both the positive and negative effects of nursery fertilizer application on subsequent seedling growth and survival. Negative effects of commercial fertilizers on seedling growth was also observed by Kadeba (1978), who reported that, the addition of excess fertilizer on Pinus caribaea depressed growth and increased mortality of the seedlings. Another finding of the study was the positive effect of P fertilizers on the nodulation of selected agroforestry tree seedlings. It was found that nodulation was significantly increased in terms of number and size in P fertilizations in comparison with the control (without P fertilizations). Similar findings were reported by Munns (1997); Hicks and Loynachan (1987) and Gates and Wilson (1974), who had also found the increase in nitrogen fixation with the application of P fertilizer on A. mangium seedlings; Sanginga et al. (1989) who reported that, the application of P fertilizer in Leucaena leucocephala improved the seedling biomass and nitrogen fixation. Though nitrogen fixing tree (NFT) species are of great importance in traditional agroforestry system, a detailed field investigation is therefore recommended to ensure the long term growth performance of selected NFT species in response to P fertilizer application in natural stands.

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