Influence of urea fertilizer on early growth of African Rose Wood (<i>Pterocarpus erinaceous Poir</i>.) seedlings in Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Influence of urea fertilizer on early growth and development of Pterocarpus erinaceous seedlings were investigated. Two hundred (200) uniformly growing seedlings were transplanted into polythene pots filled with top soil. Four urea fertilizer rates (0.035; 0.065; 0.095; 0.0125 g) and control were applied to the seedlings in the pots 20 × 25 × 25 cm, filled with 800 g of top soil collected from forest plantation. Assessment on the metrical character of the seedlings was done fortnightly. The fertilization of the selected seedlings with urea fertilizer was done round the seedlings in the nursery pots using ring method. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, and means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test at p < 0.05. The results show that fertilizer rates had significant (p < 0.05) effect on the growth and development of seedlings of P. erinaceous. Seedlings treated with 0.095 g of urea produced the highest mean values of 12.00 ± 0.66 cm; 0.33 ± 0.01 mm; 190 cm2 and 12.65 ± 0.67 for stem height, collar diameter, leaf area (LA) and number of leaves respectively. Seedlings fed with 0.125 g had the lowest values of 11.19 ± 0.61cm for height, 0.32± 0.01 mm for collar diameter 11.54 ± 0.70 for number of leaves and 124 cm² for the LA. Urea fertilizers had significant effect on the early growth of the seedlings, therefore fertilization at 0.095 g per pot is recommended for raising P. erinaceous seedlings.