Report 04. Seedling growth and development in different container types and potting mixes

Abstract

This investigation tested the various containers and potting mixes used in the AOP. Effects were measured on nursery development of five non-nitrogen-fixing species (chene, kapab, cassia, neem, and ced). Four container types (Winstripts, standard Rootrainer 5s, Rootrainer Deep 5s, and Sacks) and three potting mixes (Gromix, Haiti mix, and Neg mix) were tested. Seedlings were grown in a randomized complete block design at the Operation Double Harvest nursery near Port-au-Prince. Seedlings were harvested and measured when they were four months old. Resulting data were tested for treatment effects. Mix affected certain growth measurements for all species. Cassia was largest in Gromix and smallest in Neg mix, kapab and sed were larger in Haiti mix, while chene and neem were not affected strongly by mix. Neg mix tended to produce large root:shoot ratios but smaller seedlings, and would benefit from amendment with an acidifying phosphate fertilizer. Haiti mix is an acceptable locally-produced substitute for Gromix. Interactions betweeen container and mix were minor. Seedlings in sacks were always largest, followed by those in Deep 5s, Winstrips, and Rootrainers. However, for certain measurements, neem and chene were smaller in Winstrips than in Rootrainers, and ced and cassia were larger in Winstrips than in Deep 5s. Container affected root:shoot ratio only for ced, which had the largest root:shoot ratio in Rootrainers and the smallest in Sacks. Generally, the three rigid containers produced high quality seedlings with only minor morphological differences.

Esperyans sa-a te eseye divès veso epi divès miks ki moun sevi nan AOP. Te gen kat kalite veso (Winstrip, Woutrene pa fon, Woutrene fon, ak Sache plastik) ak twa kalite miks (Gromiks, Ayiti miks, ak Neg miks) nan esperyans sa-a. Nou te mezire efè tretman pepinyè-yo te gen sou devlopman pepinyè pou senk espès ki pa fè azot nan rasin yo (chèn, kapab, kasya, nim, ak sèd). Ti pyebwa-yo te grandi nan pepinyè ODH nan Cazeau. Apre kat mwa, nou te rasche e mesire ti pyebwa-yo. Nou te eseye tout mezi ki soti pou chèche si gen diferans ant veso yo epi miks yo. Miks yo te bay diferan mezi pou tout espès. Kasya te pi gwo nan Gromiks e pi piti nan Neg miks. Kapab ak sèd te pi gwo nan Ayiti miks, pandan chèn ak nim pa gen gwo diferans. Neg miks te fè gwo pwopòsyon rasin ak kòs, men pi piti ti pyebwa, e li ta bon pou melanje yon angre avèk fosfo e acid nan li. Ayiti miks se yon bon miks local pou ramplase Gromiks. Avèk Sache, ti pyebwa te pi gwo pase sa yo ki nan Woutrene fon, nan Winstrip, ak nan Woutrene pa fon. Men, pou kek mezi, nim ak chèn pi piti nan Winstrip pase nan Woutrene, e sèd ak kasya pi gwo nan Winstrip pase nan Woutrene fon. Veso te fè yon diferans nan pwopòsyon rasin ak kòs pou sèd selman. Sèd te gen pwopòsyon rasin ak kòs pi gwo nan Woutrene pa fon e pi piti nan Sache plastik. Gen kèk rekomandasyon pou pepinyeris ayisyen. Pou fè grenn yo jèmen pi byen, semen grenn chèn tankou yon tapi andan yon veso. Nim grandi pi byen nan Woutrene fon avèk Ayiti mix. Sèd pa grandi byen an Winstrip avèk Neg miks. An jeneral, yon pepinyeris kapab sevi ak de kalite Woutrene, e l'ap jwenn preska menm rezilta. Winstrip yo bon, tout, men yo bezwen ampil dlo. Yon pepinyeris kapab sevi ak Sache plastik si li gen ampil miks, si li gen anpil plas nan pepinyè-a, e si li gen ampil moun pou travay nan pepinyè-a.