Catherine Ky-Dembele 
,
Jules Bayala,
Patrice Savadogo,
Mulualem Tigabu,
Per Christer Odén,
Issaka Joseph Boussim
Comparison of growth responses of Khaya senegalensis seedlings and stecklings to four irrigation regimes
Ky-Dembele C., Bayala J., Savadogo P., Tigabu M., Odén P. C., Boussim I. J. (2010). Comparison of growth responses of Khaya senegalensis seedlings and stecklings to four irrigation regimes. Silva Fennica vol. 44 no. 5 article id 121. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.121
Abstract
Khaya senegalensis is an important tree species for timber production, native to West Africa, but mahogany shoot borer attacks prevent successful plantations. This research was aimed at comparing the growth of two propagule types, seedlings and stecklings, of Khaya senegalensis subjected to four irrigation regimes, 25, 50, 75 and 100% field capacity in Burkina Faso. The relative growth rate, biomass allocation and intrinsic water use efficiency of the propagules were assessed in a full-factorial pot experiment in block design. Except the relative growth rate of stem basal diameter and specific leaf area, for which mean values were significantly higher for seedlings than stecklings, the two propagule types had similar growth patterns regarding relative growth rates of stem length, leaf, stem, root and the total plant biomass. There was no significant difference between propagule types concerning biomass fraction to total plant biomass of leaf, stem and root, root to stem ratio, leaf area productivity and carbon isotope ratio (δ13C). However, the irrigation regimes significantly affected all parameters. In contrast to 75 and 100% field capacity irrigation regimes, the low water supply of 25 and 50% field capacity resulted in plant stress, which was evident from the significant reduction in plant growth and biomass production and an increase in the root biomass to total plant biomass ratio and δ13C. It can be concluded that seedlings and stecklings have comparable growth patterns, while water stress is a major growth-limiting factor highlighting the need for selecting drought and borer resistant genotypes for successful plantations.
Keywords
rooted cuttings;
water stress;
Senegal mahogany
-
Ky-Dembele,
Département Productions Forestières, Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso & Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, P.O. Box 101, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden (catherine.dembele@slu.se)
E-mail
kydembele@hotmail.com
- Bayala, World Agroforestry Centre, West Africa and Centre Regional Office, Sahel Node, BP E5118 Bamako, Mali E-mail jb@nn.ml
- Savadogo, Département Productions Forestières, Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso & Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, P.O. Box 101, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden E-mail ps@nn.bf
- Tigabu, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, P.O. Box 101, SE-230 53, Alnarp, Sweden E-mail mt@nn.se
- Odén, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, P.O. Box 101, SE-230 53, Alnarp, Sweden E-mail pco@nn.se
- Boussim, Université de Ouagadougou, Unité de Formation et Recherche en Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre, 03 BP 7021, Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso E-mail ijb@nn.bf
Received 6 September 2010 Accepted 19 November 2010 Published 31 December 2010
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