The need for improved nursery management practices and marketing in tree nurseries of norther Mindanao

Undoubtedly, tree growing provides economic and environmental benefits. This has resulted in tree growing initiatives in Northern Mindanao. However, tree growing is faced with constraints such as high field mortality and poor timber stand resulting in poor timber yield. This paper seeks to discern the seedling quality of seedlings grown in three different nursery types in Northern Mindanao, including the facilities present and some cultural management practices. Seedling quality was assessed through random sampling of planting materials. Information about nursery facilities and cultural management practices were obtained through interviews with nursery operators and through visual observations. Results show that private, communal and government nurseries have facilities designed for low cost production of seedlings. The lack of hardening beds and raised benches used for seedling acclimatization explains the inability of seedlings to survive when outplanted in the field. A seedling quality assessment revealed that seedlings were of low quality in all nursery types with weak stems, imbalanced root-shoot ratio and J-root formation. It was also found that most nurseries did not apply soil treatment which is one of the basics for growing seedlings. There is an urgent need to improve nursery management practices by employing best management practices such as proper hardening techniques using effective but non-expensive hardening beds and soil sterilization to improve the seedling quality of seedlings in the region