Growth performance evaluation of leaf characteristics of &lt;i&gt;Rhizophora racemosa&lt;/i&gt; grown in amended mangrove - garden soil

O.O Oji,F.B.G Tanee,L.A Akonye

doi:10.4314/jasem.v22i8.12

Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of soil type on leaf characteristics of the Rhizophora racemosa. Matured propagules were grown for 75days on mangrove and garden soil amended with Saw dust (SD), Rice husk (RH), NPK and RH+ SD+NPK combination treatments at the Botanical Garden of the University of Port Harcourt. Leaf properties such as leaf area, Leaf dry weight, specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content was determined 75 days after planting. The leaf area of Rhizophora racemosa were not significantly different from one another at p<0.05 in the amended garden soils while in the amended mangrove soils there was significant difference. Result of leaf dry weight showed significant difference at p<0.05 in both amended soil types. Maximum Specific Leaf Area of 157 ± 31.7 cm2 g-1 was observed in the garden soil amended with RH+ SD+NPK combination while the highest SLA of 143.7 ± 19.3cm2 g-1 was observed in the mangrove soil amended with SD. Leaf Dry Matter Content varied from 0.224 ± 0.012g g-1 - 0.271 ± 0.013 g g-1 across the various amendment in the mangrove soil while it ranged from 0.256 ± 0.004 – 0.355 ± 0.041g g-1 ) for the garden soil. Result indicated that Rhizophora racemosa can be successfully raised in amended garden and mangrove soil, and this may provide valuable information for mangrove forest restoration in the Niger delta region.Keywords: leaf area, leaf dry weight, leaf dry matter content; specific leaf area

Highlights

Nigeria has the largest mangrove forest in Africa and the fifth largest in the world behind Indonesia, Australia, Brazil and Mexico (Daniel and Edward, 2013)
The leaf dry weight (LDW) of Rhizophora racemosa recorded a maximum value of 0.181 ± 0.02g in the garden soil treatment amended with NPK while the lowest value of 0.103 ± 0.008g was recorded in the
In amended mangrove and garden soil: The leaf area significant difference was observed within the of R. racemosa grown in garden soil had a maximum mean value of 14.3 ± 0.8cm2 in the bag amended with Rice husk (RH) while the lowest mean value of 9.8 ± 0.8cm2 was following amendment, mangrove soil (MS) and MS + NPK; MS and MS+Saw dust (SD)+RH+NPK; MS+SD and MS+RH and MS+SD+RH+NPK respectively

Summary

Introduction

Nigeria has the largest mangrove forest in Africa and the fifth largest in the world behind Indonesia, Australia, Brazil and Mexico (Daniel and Edward, 2013). Avicenniaceae – (white mangrove) Avicennia Africana; Combretacea - Lagancularia racemosa and Conocarpus erectus Another exotic plant that is found associated with the mangrove forest of Niger delta is Nypa fruticans (Nypa Palm) (NDES, 2000). Rhizophara racemosa is a major dominant species (NDES, 2005) and adorns the coastal areas of the Niger delta region (RPI, 1985) where it occurs in the intertidal zone with a wide range of hydrological conditions. Due to their unique location, mangroves are subject to fluctuations in freshwater as well as sea-level rise and salinity.

Methods

Results

Conclusion