Propagation and seedling establishment of selected multipurpose woody species of Uganda

Abstract

Cultivation of important woody species with the goal of conserving them is hampered by little, or no, information on how such species can be propagated or their seedlings established. We investigated propagation and seedling establishment of 14 important multipurpose species much valued for traditional medicine in Uganda. The experiments included sexual and vegetative propagation, as well as a seedling growth experiment. The multipurpose species Psidium guajava, Markamia lutea, Maesopsis eminii and Spathodea campanulata propagated easily from seed, and Ficus natalensis from cuttings. The medicinal species Zanthoxylum leprieurii, Warburgia ugandensis and Ficus saussureana did not germinate at all. Toddalia asiatica and Canarium schweinfurthii had high dormancy and low synchrony of seed emergence. Markamia lutea seedlings established readily with addition of fertilizer (NPK) and moderate watering (three times a week). We conclude that whereas the multipurpose use species appear to propagate easily, the medicinal plants are difficult to propagate sexually or asexually.