Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer and Media on Growth of African Sandal Wood (Baphianitida L.)

An experiment was conducted in the screen house of the Department of Crop Production and Landscape Management of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria in 2013 to determine the effect of nitrogen fertilizer and potting media on the growth of African sandal wood (Baphia nitida L. ). The experimental design was a 3 x 4 factorial laid out in completely randomized design (CRD). The treatments comprised three poultry manure rates (0, 3 and 6 v/v containing rice hull and riversand in the ratio of 91, 61 and 3 1) and four nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 50, 100 and 150mg/l N). The treatments were replicated five times with each replication having 20 pots that gave a total 60 experimental pots. Semi hard wood cuttings of African sandal wood which measured 20cm were planted two per pot into 8litre pots and the pots were irrigated daily with water while dilute solution of nitrogen fertilizer was applied twice weekly with the irrigation water. Measurements taken were plant height, plant canopy width, number of leaves, number of branches, shoot dry weight and root dry weight. The results indicated that nitrogen had significant (p = 0.05) effect on plant canopy width. Plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, shoot dry weight and root dry weight recorded non significant difference in nitrogen and media treatments. The tallest plants (21.4 cm), widest plant canopy (27.12cm), highest number of leaves (10.82), highest number of branches (4.77) and shoot dry weight (5.50g) were obtained at 50mg/l N. The medium which had no poultry manure (910 medium) produced the tallest plants (20.73cm), highest plant canopy width (25.92cm), number of leaves (9.77), shoot dry weight (4.97g) and root dry weight (0.67g) while highest number of branches was obtained in 613 medium. The medium that had the highest ratio of poultry manure (3 1 6 medium) consistently recorded least values in all the measurements taken.