Plant quality of Gmelina arborea Roxb. produced with different substrate mixtures at the nursery

Abstract

The quality of the plant that is produced in the nursery is important to achieve the successful establishment of forest plantations. The aim of the study here described was to assess the growth and quality of Gmelina arborea plants, a species that has adapted easily to the humid and subhumid tropical regions of Mexico, with different substrate mixtures through the traditional nursery production system. A completely randomized experimental design was applied, with six treatments, five repetitions and 25 plants per experimental unit. The treatments evaluated were: T1 (50 % soil + 50 % coffee husk), T2 (50 % soil + 50 % sawdust (mixture of Mangifera indica, Tabebuia rosea and Tabebuia donnell-smithii), T3 (50 % soil + 50 % cocoa shell), T4 (50 % soil + 50 % sugarcane bagasse), T5 (50 % soil + 50 % livestock manure) and T6 (100 % forest soil). After 75 days of having carried out the sowing, the statistical analysis showed significant differences (P≤0.05) among them, in which the T5 generated the highest values in diameter (8.76 mm), height (66.08 cm), area foliar (1 097.42 cm²), total biomass (11.48 g) and Dickson quality index (1.00). It is concluded that this substrate produces quality plants of the tested species.