Journal of Tropical7 23 Forest Science 15 (1): 237-240 (2003) RAISING PLANTING MATERIALS OF PEAT SWAMP FOREST SPECIES Ismail Shamsudin& * P. , . ,I Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 52109 Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia e availabilitTh f adequatyo e high quality planting materia f peao l t swamp forest (PSF) species is one of the main constraints in rehabilitating degraded PSF. Planting materials of PSF specie currentle sar y difficul t becausge o t t eneves plantinha F r beePS gn ni included in rehabilitation programme pase th t n s(Shamsudii Azian& h 1992). Thereforeo t e du , the low priority given to PSF, there had been no attempt made to raise planting materials speciesF ofPS additionn I . , t muctherno s ehi informatio raiso t plantin e ew th ho n gno materials. As the physical and chemical properties of peat soil are different from other forest types, it is not certain if normal techniques of raising planting materials and nursery management practices applie inlano dt d forest species wil suitable e b l th r efo PSF species. The aim of this study was to investigate suitable techniques of raising planting materials of som speciesF ePS . Three techniques were tried out, namely, seeds, wilding vegetativd san e propagatio stey nb m cutting. Anisoptera marginata d Gonystylusan bancanus wer e germinatio th use r dfo n test because their seeds were available durin stude gth y period tese t.Th was base procedurn do e established by Aminah et al. (1997). Pure river sand with a proportion of approximately diametem m 2 > r d respectivel an particle % m 40 m 2 d s< yan wer0 6 n i et mixepu d dan germinatio cm) 5 traye 3 n X .Th tray s 0 wers(6 e place germinatioa n di n house with light intensity ranging betwee 40%d an 0 .n3 Seeds selecte germinatioe th r dfo n test wer goon ei d conditio matured nan seede .Th s were sown at an interval of 2 cm along the row and 4 cm between rows. The narrow or pointed end of the seed was pushed into the sowing media, leaving the blunt end of the seed exposed. After sowing, the seeds were covered with a thin layer of paddy husk for moisture retention. Watering was done twice a day, in the morning and afternoon, until the seeds germinated. Percentages of germination obtained were 90 and 95% for A. marginata and G. bancanus respectively. After about three weeks in the seedbeds the seedlings (about 5 cm height) were transferred into polybag ) thas cm t (fla containe6 1 t X siz 4 ep 2 to dmixtura 1 3: f eo soil and river sand. The seedlings were then placed under shade with 50% light intensity for a period of six to nine months. Both species had more than 90% survival. In the experiment using wildings, water gel was used to collect the PSF wildings (Ismail & Shamsudin 1999). The PSF species collected were G. bancanus, Madhuca motleyana, A.marginata, Stemonurus secundiflorus, Calophyllum spp., Durio carinatus, Santiria spp. and Pometia pinnata. Collectio conductes nwa mornine th n di g (about 7.00 a.m. minimiso )t e water loss from seedlings through transpiration e aresurveyes befory Th .ada wa e e don collectio locato nt assesd ean amoune th s f wildingo t s present. Small-sized wildings, approximately 4 to 12 cm high, and preferably at two-leaf stage, were collected by pulling wildinge th t carefullsou y fro grounde mth wildinge .Th s were then place plastin di c bags containin wated ratia an t l r1:15f a o go ge 0 (Figur. e1) Received: October 2001 *E-mail: [email protected] 238 Journal of Tropical Forest Science 15 (1): 237-240 (2003) Figure 1 Wildings placed in a plastic bag containing water gel From experience, the wildings can be stored in this condition for more than a week. However bettes i t ,i r that wilding transplantee sb d immediately into polybag nursere th t sa y ensuro t e better growth conditions. Therefore, before collectin wildingse gth , polybags filled with planting media must be ready in the nursery. The planting media used was a combinatio soirived p to an l rf no san ratia t df 3:1a o o . After being transplantee th t da nursery wildingthe , s were then watered caseIn . s wher collectioethe wildingnof swas done far from the permanent nursery, a temporary nursery was established. In this study surviva % meaa , recorde60 s f nspecieo l lwa al r dfo s that were collected using water gel. Metho raisinf do g planting material stey sb m cuttin thin gi s experimen bases twa n do the technique used by Aminah (1991) and Mohamad Lokmal et al. (1992). The species used for this technique were G. bancanus, A. marginata, D. carinatus and Shorea platycarpa. Stem cuttings of these species were obtained from stock plants which were raised in the nursery e preparatioTh . cuttinf no g materials was mornindone th n ei g between 8.0d 0an 11.00 a.m commerciaA . l rooting hormone, Seradix-3 applies wa , improvo dt e rooting percentag e steth m f o ecuttings . Each cutting, wit e leaf t hleas on a e nod , d ton an e had a length of 2 to 3 cm. prepare s cuttine wa Th greed a gn be di n house lighwit% h30 t intensit humiditd yan y ranging between 85 and 95%. The rooting medium was made up of pure river sand. The stem cutting rootind san g medium were kept moisautomatin a y tb c mist sprinkler system operate t hourlda y interval duratioe th ; eacf no minutee h spraon s additionn yI wa . e th , coveres cuttinwa d dgbe with clear plastic sheet supporte woodey db n fram maintaio t e n high humidity around the cuttings. Rooting percentage after six weeks were 51, 41, 20 and bancanus,. G r fo . marginata,% A 32 carinatus. D platycarpa. 5 d an respectively. Even though the root percentages were low, this study showed that vegetative propagation by stem cuttings alternativn a e b n ca e techniqu raisspecieso eF t ePS . More comprehensive stud needeys i d in order to obtain good rooting percentage in this regard. Journal offropicalForest Science 15(1): 237-240 (2003) 239 Figure 2 The rooted stem cuttings of Gonystylus bancanus The rooted stem cuttings (Figure 2) were transferred into polybags (flat size 24 X 16 cm) containing potting media of 3:1 top soil and river sand. The polybags were then placed under shade with 50% light intensity and watered regularly. One gram of commercial fertiliser nitrophoska blue (12N:12P:17K) was applied to each plant at the ages of two and five months to boost the development of roots and leaves. It was observed that the potted rooted cuttings gre then wtreatee ca n b wel d an l d like other planting stocke th n si nursery. From this study conclude w , e specietharaiseF e b tPS n dsca using normal procedures applied to other inland forest species. Even the collection and vegetative propagation by stem cutting, both of which are considered less common techniques compared with technique using seeds, were also found feasible for plant production. Furthermore, it was also observed that management aspects of the PSF species in the nursery were also similar to other inland forest species. These findings suggest that adequate supply of planting materials to rehabilitate degraded PSF can be produced without much constraint. Acknowledgements authore Th s would lik expreso et s their sincere gratitud Malaysian-DANCEo et D Project Sustainabln o e Managemen Peaf to t Swamp Forest Peninsulan si r Malaysia their ,fo r grant facility to fund this study. We also would like to extend our thanks to the officers and staffs of the FRIM nursery for providing advice and assistance during the period of the study. References AMINAH . 1991 H e ,effec th not A ,f lea o n te o f numbe rootinn ro f Hopeago odorata stem cuttings. Journal of Tropical Forest Science 3(4): 384-385. 240 Journal of Tropical Forest Science 15(1): 237-240 (2003) AMINAH, H., ABDUL KHALIM, A. S., NGAIJAH, S. & SHEIKH ABU BAKAR, A. 1997. Panduan Teknik-teknik Pengurusan Tapak Semaian Spesies Perhutanan Malaysia.i d FRIM Technical Information . Handboopp 1 3 . 7 . kNo ISMAIL, P. & SHAMSUDIN, 1.1999. Production of plants from peat swamp forest tree species. Pp. 101-110 in Chin, T. Y. & Palle, H. (Eds.) Sustainable Management of Peat Swamp Forest in Peninsular Malaysia: Resource Environment.d an Volum . ForestreI y Department Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. MOHAMAD LOKMAL, N., SHAMSUDIN, I, DARUS, A. & MOHD NOR, M. 1992. Vegetative propagation of Gonystylus bancanus by stem cutting. Presented at the Regional Symposium on Recent Advance Masn i s s Clonal Multiplicatio f Foresno t Tree r Plantatiosfo n Programme. 1-8 November 1992, Bogor. SHAMSUDIN, I. & AZIAH, M. Y. 1992. Rehabilitation of degraded or logged-over peat swamp forests in Peninsular Malaysia. Pp. 123-126 in Nik Muhamad, M., Ismail Adnan, A. M., Mohd Zaki, H. & Kamaruzaman, J. (Eds.) Proceedings of the International Symposium on Rehabilitation of Tropical Rain Forest Ecosystems: Research Developmentd an Priorities. Facult f Forestryyo , Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang. Journal of Tropical Forest Science 15(1) (2003) 241 BOOK REVIEW K. .C CHUN. R SOEPADMO. & E GW (Eds.)SA . G . .,L 2002. Tree flor f Saba ao d Sarawakan h . Volum . ForesIV e t Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Sabah Forestry Department Malaysi d Sarawaaan k Forestry Department .