Seedling response of three agroforestry tree species to phosphorous fertilizer application in Bangladesh: growth and nodulation capabilities

Abstract

Triple Super Phosphate, TSP fertilizer, was applied @ 80 kg·ha−1 as the source of phosphorous on six months old polybag seedlings of Albizia chinensis, Albizia saman and Pongamia pinnta in nursery beds in Bangladesh. The effects of P-fertilizer on seedling growth and nodulation were compared to that of seedlings grown in unfertilized soil or in control at different harvesting intervals. The study revealed that, seedling growth was enhanced significantly with the application of P-fertilizer. The growth was found more pronounced in cases of A. saman and P. pinnata, whereas it was not noticeable and showed depressed growth in case of A. chinensis. The study also suggests that nodulation in terms of nodule number and size was also increased significantly with P-fertilization except in case of P. pinnata, where higher harvesting intervals lowered the nodulation performance of that species