(F): PD 528/08 Rev.1 (F): Towards Sustainable Indigenous Mahogany
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PD 528/08 Rev.1 (F): PD 528/08 Rev.1 (F): Towards sustainable indigenous Mahogany production in Ghana: Phase II, refining the silviculture “tool kit” and practical training for industrial-foresters and community farmers The effects of rooting media on vegetative propagation of two mahogany species (Khaya ivorensis and Khaya grandifoliola) Opoku, E. M.2, Opuni-Frimpong, E.1 and Adomako, A. A.2 1) Forestry Research Institute of Ghana 2) Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology SUMMARY The establishment of plantations with resistant clones can help meet future demand for the mahogany wood as the available stocks in the natural forest stock has declined. The success of the vegetative propagation method in producing resistant progenies for plantation establishment of Khaya grandifoliola and Khaya ivorensis have been accentuated which paves way for commercial utilization of the method. The use of a very suitable rooting medium to promote rapid rooting and subsequent growth of the Mahogany species maintains the genetic integrity of the species for regeneration. This study assessed the effects of rooting media: river sand, loamy soil and mixtures of river sand and loam (50:50 v/v) on the rooting of Khaya grandifoliola and Khaya ivorensis. The rooting media ability to influence rooting was depicted in the highest root formation (5.92), with root length 8.72cm and Survival percentage of cuttings (71%) in the 50:50v/v mixtures of river sand and loam for Khaya grandifoliola which differed slightly from the other media. Khaya ivorensis also exhibited its highest root formation (4.16) in loamy soil with highest root elongation 8.58cm in river sand media and lastly highest survival of cuttings in the loamy soil at 61%. Hence a 50:50 v/v mixture of river sand and loam is best for Khaya grandifoliola regarding root formation, elongation as well as Survival of cuttings. However, loamy soil is suitable for numerous root formation and good Survival in Khaya ivorensis whiles river sand is suitable for numerous root elongation. The study gives a model indication that vegetative propagation of the two Mahogany species can help intensify the restoration of mahogany resource using the suitable rooting medium for the production of resistant progenies to the shoot borer in plantations. The study can also help in meeting future seedling demands. 1 1.0. Introduction 1.1 Background of the study African Mahoganies have gained local and international recognition among the most marketable tropical timber species (Atuahene, 2001). African mahogany comprises species of the genus Khaya, Entandrophragma, Lovoa and Guarea from the family Meliaceae (Styles, 1975; Lamb, 1996; Opuni- Frimpong et al., 2008). They are widely found in Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Guinea and Uganda and are common in Ghana (Lemmens, 2008; Opuni-Frimpong, 2008). Khaya ivorensis and K. grandifoliola are among the most valued and highly prized Mahogany species in Ghana (Oteng-Amoako, 2006). The attractive feature of the Mahogany wood as well as its pinkish brown to pale red colour and the easiness to cut, taking a smooth surface after polishing, all make the wood very suitable for furniture and carpentry (Irvine 1961; Lemmens, 2008). Also, they are desired for light construction, flooring, carving, ship building, handles, ladder and pulp wood. Moreover, the bark decoctions are widely utilized in traditional medicine for the treatment of cough, fever, anaemia and also applied externally to wounds and sores (Abbiw, 1990). In Nigeria, they are retained in cocoa plantations for timber production and shade whiles in Uganda they are used for stabilization of riverbanks (Opuni-Frimpong, 2008). Due to these desirable features and versatile uses, its popularity in export has increased over the years (FAO, 1993; Atuahene, 2001). For instance in the 1950’s, Ghana exported about 100,000m3 of Mahogany wood forming approximately 70% of the total annual export. Exportation of Mahogany continues to be a source of revenue in Ghana although reduction in volumes of export has occurred considerably due to decreasing stocks in the natural forest. The revenue generation despite its decline is evident in exportation of about 17000m3 of Mahogany wood from Ghana in 2005 (Opuni- Frimpong, 2008). This notwithstanding, demand for its wood keeps rising and thus requires techniques of sustaining the resource to meet its current and future supply whiles maintaining the integrity of the resource. Consequently, plantation establishment of Mahogany by producing genetically resistant progenies through vegetative propagation would enhance regeneration of depleted stocks of the resource. Vegetative propagation offers an affordable method of raising genetically tolerant Mahogany clones to the shoot borer (Hypsipyla robusta) as it has been the main destructive pest which hinders the establishment of Mahogany plantations. Production of genetically tolerant progenies would facilitate renewal of Mahogany resource in order to enhance sustainable supplies in the global market. 1.2 The Problem Statement Owing to continuous exploitation of the Mahogany timber, decline of the resource has occurred prompting the International Union for Conservation of Nature to classify most of the species as vulnerable in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered species (CITES) red list (IUCN, 2004). This decline status of the resource led conservation managers to devise means of regenerating the resource that would ensure sustainable supplies (Taylor, 1960). Efforts to restore Mahogany stock in the natural forest through natural regeneration mostly produced limited successes since viability of the seeds were lost in a short period and seedling predation was very high under natural conditions (Wilson, 1988; Swaine et al., 1996). 2 According to Gullison et al., (1996) and Snook, (2003) an alternative approach to natural regeneration was to establish plantations that would enhance re-establishment of the depleted resource base. However, the establishment of plantations was threatened by the continuous attack by the Mahogany shoot borer; Hypsipyla robusta (Moore), Lepidoptera: Pyralidae (Opuni- Frimpong et al, 2008; Newton et. al.1993; Wagner et al, 1991). The Hypsipyla robusta larva bores into and feed in the succulent part of the apical dominant shoots of the young tree (Robert, 1968; Newton et al., 1993; Griffiths, 2001).This result in excessive branching, poor quality timber production, and subsequent death of infested trees in some cases (Wagner et al., 1991; Newton et al., 1993; Griffiths, 2001). This has led to the total abandonment of some Mahogany plantations by foresters, farmers and other plantation developers (Apetorgbor and Bosu, 2006). 1.3 Justification Several methods have been suggested to control Hypsipyla robusta in plantations such as mixed planting with resistant species, removal of lateral shoots, biological and chemical control (Newton et al., 1993; Mayhew and Newton, 1998; Opuni- Frimpong et al, 2008). Nevertheless, none of the methods have reduced the shoot borer attack to economically acceptable level in isolation (Wagner et al., 1991). Studies have shown that, it is probably impossible to completely eliminate the shoot borer attack (Newton et al., 1993), but the use of integrated pest management approach can reduce its occurrence to economically tolerable level (Floyd et al., 2000; Newton et al, 1993; Mayhew and Newton, 1998). As part of the approaches to reduce the incidence Hypsipyla robusta attack, there is an advocacy of establishing genetically resistant species to the Hypsipyla robusta in plantations (Newton, 1993; Mayhew and Newton, 1998). Thus, there are efforts to identify resistant planting materials from range wide provenance selection from the isolated trees left in the fragmented forest landscapes in Ghana. The best means to retain resistant character of planting materials is through vegetative propagation (Schwabe, 1971; Tchoundjeu, 1989). According to Hartmann (1990) and Ofori-Gyamfi (1998) the rooting medium used for propagation plays a major role influencing rooting of cuttings in the vegetative system. Different rooting media have been investigated to account for higher rooting in vegetative propagation methods on some timber species (Tchoundjeu et.al., 2002; Ofori et al., 1996). Unfortunately, studies on the appropriate rooting medium to optimize vegetative propagation of Mahogany trees are limited which might affect the rooting efficiency of the method in bulk propagation if not considered and explored (Mayhew and Newton, 1998). Hence, to realize the full potential of vegetative propagation system in production of progenies resistant to the shoot borer in plantations, there is the need to research into a most suitable rooting medium for Mahogany species as its influences on rooting varies among species (Leakey et al., 1990; Ofori-Gyamfi, 1998). 1.4 Research Objectives The research objective for this study was to: 1. Assess the rooting response of Khaya grandifoliola and Khaya ivorensis in the following rooting media: (i) river sand, (ii) loamy soil and (iii) 50:50 v/v mixtures of river sand and loam (Mixed medium). 3 2. To find out the most suitable medium rooting medium to enhance vegetative propagation of the two species in commercial scale. 3. Find out the survival rate of cuttings of the two species in each of the three media. 1.6 Research Questions With the view of addressing the research objectives the research questions of this study were as follows: 1. Which rooting medium recorded