Assessment of the Physical Quality of Eucalyptus pellita Seedlings from Shoot Cutting by Age Level

Abstract

The criteria for target seedling of Eucalyptus pellita F. Muell are at least 90days old, with consequences for the length of stay of the seedlings in the nursery. This study must assess the suitability as a target seedling first if it wants to plant the seedlings under 90days old in the field. The research aimed to evaluate and obtain the regression equation for the seedling’s age with the seedling’s morphological characters. The shoot seedlings cuttings aged 45, 60, 75, and 90 days after planting in the cocopeat growing medium were assessed. The study was used a survey method with a purposive sampling technique to obtain 60 samples by assessing the growth and appearances of the seedling. Furthermore, 15 samples were taken at random to determine the dry weight of the seedlings. Seedlings aged 75 and 90 days indicated the standard criteria as target seedlings for height, diameter, number of leaves, seedling’s health, shoot appearances, and seedling roots. The two seedlings’age levels have a sturdiness index of 8.34-9.78; shoot-root ratio 3.9-4.5; and seedling quality index (SQI) 0.22-0.23. Seedling age had a powerful positive correlation with the sturdiness index and SQI (r = 0.84 and r = 0.96). The regression equation of the sturdiness index is y = 0.048x + 5.435 (R2 = 0.996) and SQI is y = 0.004x - 0.064 (R2 = 0.926). This research implies that 75 and 90-days seedlings can be considered as one of the criteria for the age of E. pellita shoot cuttings as the target seedling in the SOP of PT. Finnantara Intiga.Keywords: cocopeat, Eucalyptus pellita, Seedling Quality index, shoot cuttings, target seedling