Potential of wildlings of Parashorea malaanonan as planting stock

May 11, 2006 by

Potential of wildlings of Parashorea malaanonan as planting stock


Aminuddin bin Mohamad and Jameri Tahir

University Malaysia Sabah, Locked bag 2073, 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah; and Forestry Department Sabah, Sandakan, Sabah



Abstract



The objective of the experiment was to explore the potential of increasing the re-establishment success of potted wildlings with nursery techniques and the effect of rock phosphate fertilizer on the growth of these wildlings after being transplanted to research plot. Wildlings of Parashorea malaanonan were obtained from the University Malaysia Sabah educational forest situated at Kawang Forest Reserve. Wildlings were treated with (Indole Butyric Acid) IBA rooting powder and then conditioned inside a high-humidity chamber (HHC) for three months. After the nursery, the vigorous wildlings were transplanted to research plot, 50 x 50 m with 10 x 3 m planting. The result of the nursery experiment showed that the combined IBA and HHC treatment has increased the re-establishment success of wildlings. The planted wildlings did not show significant growth response in this early stage of planting.



Keywords: Parashorea malaanonan, wildlings, nursery techniques, growth performance.



Introduction



Seeds collection depends on the availability and seasonality of flowering and fruiting. As in the case for dipterocarps, the flowering and fruiting come in once in every five to seven years. From the scope of forest management, proper planning needs to be done if the need for planting is to take place. Rehabilitation on a large scale does need seeds. As most of the dipterocarp seeds could not be stored for a extended period (Zaki 1993), therefore all the seeds are germinated upon collection almost immediately. Seedlings can be raised in quantities only during a good seed year. Otherwise, wildlings need to be collected and raised. Some species are not easily collected and raised (Appanah and Weinland 1994). The success depends on the species, and methods of collection, raising and handling seedlings. Wildlings of a few-week-old (Aminah et al. 1997) up to a height of 40 cm (Goh 2000) are suitable to be collected and raised.


This study hopes to look into raising wildlings of Parashorea malaanonan as a possible planting stock for future planting. The study uses some growth hormones to enhance the growth of wildlings. Previous studies indicated that only 60% of wildlings of Parashorea malaanonan survived (Goh 2000, Garcia & Falck 2000) while earlier studies recorded a even lower survival (Wyatt-Smith 1995).



Parashorea malaanonan



This species is known locally as urat mata daun licin or seraya putih in the trade. In Sarawak it is known as urat mata. Found commonly in Sabah, Brunei, east Kalimantan and the Phillipines. It is a large tree up to 60 m tall, up to 2 m in diameter with dense dome-shaped crown (Ashton 2004). It is a fast growing species and could reach a diameter of 90 cm in 40 years (Soerinegara & Lemmans 1993) although it is much slower on the average. It is found in mixed dipterocarp forest on deep friable clay soils overlying shade, basic and intermediate igneous rocks, at altitudes up to 1300 m. It is abundant in the eastern parts of Sabah lowlands and still locally so in surviving forests. It is rare in areas west of the Crocker range (Sabah) and in Sarawak.



Study sites



The study is being conducted at Kawang Forest Reserve where wildlings of Parashorea malaanonan are obtained. It is a Class III Forest Reserve situated about 30 km south of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia; with an area of about 1500 ha. The study area is located on the lowlands between 150–170 m a.s.l., with rainfall of about 240 mm per annum.


The study



Seventy wildlings of Parashorea malaanonan with height ranging from 30 cm to 80 cm were located and collected from the forest reserve. Collections were usually done in the morning and brought to a temporary nursery nearby. Only good and healthy seedlings were chosen for the study.


Fifty wildlings were treated with Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) while another 20 were not. Forty of the treated ones were placed in the High Humidity Chamber (HHC) together with 10 wildlings that were not treated. The plants were placed and recorded in groups of 10 plants. The rest were placed as control treatment under 60% nylon netting for further observation.


The plants/wildlings were watered twice a week in the first month and later once a week. About 10 granules of fertilizer, NPK blue, were placed in each pot to encourage growth of the plant. After eight weeks, all the plants were transferred under the nylon netting for further observation prior to planting in the field.


Planting in the field at 10 x 3 m planting was conducted in a nearby forest area. Each planting hole was filled with 20 g of rock phosphate prior to putting the plant in. In the control plot, no phosphate fertilizer was placed.






Data collection


Mortality counts were done at nursery (first three months) and at planting stage. The growth performance (diameter at base, height and leaf increment) of the planted seedlings in the control and treated plots were monitored once a month for the following three months.


Analysis


The data collected were subjected to descriptive statistics (Caswell 1990) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Growth data based on relative height growth rate were subjected to ANOVA.


Results


Survival percentage at nursery stage or early stage showed that all of them survived with more than 70% (Table 1).


Table 1. Survival percentages under different treatments in the early stage of Parashorea malaanonan

Treatment No of seedlingsMortality % Survival

IBA + 3 mths in HHC 40 1 98

No IBA + 3 mths HHC 10 2 80

IBA + under shade 10 3 70

No IBA + under shade10 3 70

Note:

IBA – Indole Butyric Acid

HHC – High Humidity Chamber



All the plants planted in the field survived. Further tests in the field showed significant differences in height growth of the seedlings planted. Post Hoc-LSD test showed that significant difference is observed in rows planted with fertilizer placed at planting hole.


Table 2 showed the summary of relative growth rates observed for the planted seedlings/wildlings in the field. The growth seems to be better with the ones planted with fertilizer (CIRP).










Table 2. Summary of Relative Growth Rate (RGR) values for growth of Parashorea malaanonan seedlings planted


Source Treatment No seedlings Cumulative RGR values

Planted survive HeightDia. Leaf inc.

A with CIRP 17 17 0.7972 0.9474 2.8134

B no CIRP 17 17 0.4735 0.4989 2.3035

C control 17 17 0.1408 0.1730 0.0744

Note:

A – IBA + 3 months in High Humidity Chamber;

B – IBA + 3 months in High Humidity Chamber

C – wildlings

CIRP – Christmas Island Rock Phosphate (fertilizer)



Discussion



This study showed that the wildlings taken from the field were of the same size as mentioned in Appanah and Weinland (1994) and Goh (2000). The difference is that most of the wildlings maybe older in age. The fact that it can be watered at a much lower watering regime and placed in high humidity chamber showed that the wildlings can survived under such conditions. This maybe due to the auxins used in the study. The HHC can cause some dryness in the leaf if watering is not done regularly. The percentage survival indicated that it is much higher when compared with 44% to 79% as observed by Appanah and Weinland (1994) or 41% to 88.2% by Goh (2000).


All the plants/wildlings planted in the field survived after three months as planting was done at the onset of rainy season. Given the other factors being equal in the surrounding area, the used of rock phosphate which is a slow-release fertilizer does help in the growth of the seedlings. The dormant phase in the growth (Longman & Jenik 1974) of Parashorea malaanonan are also influenced by the fertilizer and microclimate in the area (Mosigil & Yap 2000).



Conclusion



The above study showed that wildlings can be raised in the nursery by treating them with IBA and placed them in HHC. Initial growth performance with fertilzer showed some positive response. Further study/observation should be carried out in the field to ascertain the result.







References


Aminah, H, Abdul Khalim, A.S., Ngaijah S. and Sheikh Abu Bakar A. 1977. Panduan teknik-teknik pengurusan tapak semaian spesis perhutanan di Malaysia. FRIM Technical Information Handbook No: 7. Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.


Appanah, S. and Weinland, G. 1994. Planting quality timber trees in Peninsular Malaysia: A Review. Malayan Forest Records No: 38. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur. 247 pp.


Ashton, P.S. 2004. Dipterocarpaceae. In: Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak Volume Five. Eds. Soepadmo E., L.G. Saw, R.C.K. Chung. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur. 528 pp.


Caswell, F. 1989. Success in Statistic. Second Edition. John Murray. Great Britain.


Goh, F. 2000. Nursery management for Large-scale production of Dipterocarps for forest rehabilitation. Paper presented during INFAPRO Workshop 2000, Danum Valley, Sabah. 1–4 August 2000.


Longman, K.A. and Jenik, J. 1974 Tropical Forest and its environment. United Kingdom: Longman Group Limited. 370 pp.


Mosigil, G. & Yap, S. W. 2000. Experience of a large scale Rainforest Rehabilitation in Sabah on Liberation Thinning. Paper presented in INFAPRO Workshop. 1–4 August 2000. Danum Valley, Sabah.


Soerinegara, J. & Lemmens R.H.M.J. (eds). 1993. Plant Resources of South-east Asia. Wegeinigen: PUDOC Scientific Publisher.


Wyatt-Smith, J. 1995. Manual of Malayan Silviculture for Inland Forest, (Second edition) Volume 1 & 2. Malayan Forest Record No: 23 Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.


Zakri Ab. Hamid. 1993. Sumber Genetik Tumbuhan. Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur.

Sources: 8th Round-Table Conference on Dipterocarps

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