Pre-sowing Treatment and Nursery Practices

To break dormancy of mangium seeds, hot water treatment is recommended. The seeds are tied in porous cloth and immersed in near boiling water (90°C) removed from the heat source for not more than 30 seconds. Pour off the water. Add cold water (room temperature) 20 times of the seed volume. Let stand overnight to imbibe and sow the seeds in the nursery beds/seed trays. Seed inoculation with appropriate rhizobial strain is recommended before sowing. Mangium seedlings are ready for pricking out in 6-10 days after sowing. Polythene bags are the most common containers used in the tropics for pricking out. Mangium seedlings attain a target size of 25-40 cm height in about 12 weeks. Seedlings are hardened by progressively reducing watering and removing shade in the nursery. If the seedlings have grown larger than the target size in the nursery, they may be lopped.