BANGLADESH JOURNAL OF FOREST SCIENCE
A Half-yearly Peer Reviewed Journal of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
A Half-yearly Peer Reviewed Journal of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
Artocarpus chanta Bmich, Ham. ex Wall. (Chapalish) is a large, deciduous indigenous forest tree species grown in natural forests. The seed of Chapalish is recalcitrant and loses viability within a few days of maturity that makes problem in storage of the seeds. Optimum storage conditions found useful for prolonging the viability of recalcitrant seeds through preventing water loss. The study was taken to identify the suitable storage methods in order to prolong the seed viability of A. chanta. Nmsery trial was conducted at the National Forest Seed Centre, Seed Orchard Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute to evaluate the effects of storage conditions and duration on germination of chapalish seeds. Seeds were stored in five different storage media, viz. i) open room (control), ii) sand, lii) chalk powder, iv) ash and v) sawdust with 8 different storage periods (days), viz. 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 days. The effects of storage media and storage periods (days) were assessed through seed germination and seedling growth performance. Viability and seedling growth performance were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by storage media, storage periods and their interactions. The results revealed that chalk powder media exhibited significantly higher germination percentage, root length, shoot length and vigor index. It also revealed that it can prolong the viability of Chapalish seeds up to 40 days with 60% germination and was statistically significant at 5% level. The findings may be useful to nursery practioners, foresters, and private plant growers for Chapalish seeds. The storage condition is convenient, low-cost and easily applicable to all nursery owners.
Mature seeds of Uvaria cordata (Dunal) Alston were sown in polybag, nursery bed, propagator house, and root trainer and investigated to find out the suitable media for raising seedlings for conservation programs of species in Chittagong University Campus. The germination percentage, germination index, germination value, shoot length, collar diameter, leaf number were assessed for 12 months old seedlings in the nursery. The germination percentage (92.31%), germination energy (35.89%), and germination value (2.6493) were found the highest in T2 treatment (seed sown in nursery bed) and significantly (p<0.05) different from other treatments except for To (polybag). Maximum germination index (0.2713), germination uniformity (0.0039), and minimum germination start time (30 days) observed in To (polybag), significantly (p< 0.05) different from other treatments. After 12 months of germination, maximum shoot height (25.57 cm), collar diameter (6.32 mm) and leaf number (16.40) revealed highest in T3 treatment. Seeds sown in polybags were revealed comparatively better germination behavior than other treatments. Seeds
sown in root trainer were found suitable for vigorous seedlings production for Uvaria cordata.
Hopea odorata Roxb (telsur) is a timber
species of the family Dipterocarpaceae. It is
available in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar,
Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and
Vietnam. In Bangladesh, telsur occurs naturally in
the forests of Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong and
Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT), and also planted in
forest plantations and as road side avenue trees
(Hossain 2015). The tree reached up to 45m in
height with the base of stem diameter of 4.5m.The
timber is valued for its durability, resistance to
insects and use for weight-bearing construction.
Telsur is a commercially valuable species, but
significantly disappearing from the natural
habitats. Therefore, Hopea odorata is currently
assessed as vulnerable in IUCN red list of
threatened species. Therefore mass plantation of
telsur is necessary for the national aspect.
The responses offour provenances of Acacia nilotica to salinity (0,75,150, and 225
mMNaCl) at the germination stagewere examined experimentally and compared with their
known salt tolerance at the seedling stage. There were significant differences in final
germination percentage and germination rate between salinity treatments and between
provenances. The provenance (Tunzini, Swaziland) which appeared more salt tolerant
during germinationwas notmost tolerant at the seedling stage.
Bangladesh Forest Department and various NGOs have undertaken large scale
afforestation programmes in the country. This necessitates production of a large number of
seeds and improved methods of theirhandling. It islikely that greaternumber ofspecies will
be included for increased afforestation activities. So, information on time of seed
availability, quantity of seed production, number of seeds per unit weight, germination
percentage, germination period, seed pre-treatment (if any), storage period, etc. will be
required.Thisreport is based on available scientific information and professionalexperience
on seeds of forest trees which could help the nursery and plantation managers in raising
seedlings.
The effect ofsalinity on the germination of Sonneratia apetala Buch.-Ham.
was studied. The best germination success was observed in the 0-5 ppt salinity
range with the highest value (98.67%) at the 0 ppt (fresh water) level.
Germination success decreased significantly with the increasing level of
salinity. Increasing salinity also remarkably delayed the germination.
Satisfactory germination success was observed when salt treated seeds were
sown in fresh water condition. This indicates that salt has only a reversible
inhibitory effect on germination. The rate of recovery from the inhibitory effect
ofsalt was not found to be sensitive to the level of salinity, and did not exhibit
any definite relationship with the length of exposure of seed to the saline
condition
The paper presents the method of raising seedlings of Calamus viminalis var.
fasciculatus and their performance after planting out. Germination per cent of C. viminalis
was 24.37. Sunlight was pre-requisite for the germination. Optimum time for seedling
pricking from the seed bed to the polybag was 90 days after germination, and in this 100%
survival could be obtained. A survival of 98% was observed in the wildings when they
were transferred from the field to the polybags at an average height of 8.5 cm. One year
old wildings were significantly lower in height in the nursery than that of one year old
polybag-raised seedlings. Survival of planted seedlings at Hinguli, Chittagong in the
field was 77.5% after one year. Average height increment of the seedlings was 25.5 cm
with usually 4-5 leaves one year following planting under a teak plantation.
The paper presents the seed germination and seedling growth of jali-bet (Calamus tenuis Roxb.) based on studies at Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Chittagong. Germination percentages were 70 for whole fruit, 10 for seed with pulp, and 86.66 for clean seeds. Survival was 95.6% in the field when one year old seedlings raised in polybags were planted. In 18 months after planting the seedlings attained a height of 109.78 cm with 3.34 number of culms per plant. Clean seeds for nursery raising, and one year old seedlings for out planting were found suitable for successful plantations.
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