Growth and productivity of some selected indigenous tree species in monoculture plots in Morogoro – Tanzania

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN FORESTRY OF SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE. MOROGORO, TANZANIA.Growth and productivity of four indigenous tree species (Miliciaexcelsa, Afzeliaquanzensis, Darbegiamelanoxylon and Khayaanthotheca) was evaluated in 23 year old rectangular 400 m2 (20 x 20 m) plots planted at Tanzania Tree Seed Agency (TTSA) Arboretum in Morogoro, Tanzania. Data was collected on survival, diameter at breast height (Dbh), total height, stem form and wood basic density. A t-test of the collected data (dbh, total height and wood basic density) have shown that there were significant (P = 0.05) differences in Dbh and total height. The survival (untransformed) ranged from 93.75% (Afzelia quanzensis) to 100% (M. excelsa, D. melanoxylon and K. anthotheca). K. anthothecawas better with mean Dbh of 32.25 cm and BA of 36.48 m2ha-1than the rest of the species. K. anthotheca attained mean height of 28.09 m and MAI of 1.221 myr-1 followed by A. quanzensis, M. excelsa and the least was D. melanoxylon with mean height of 9.4 m and MAI of 0.413 myr-1. The expected mean yield ranged from 402.6 m3ha-1 (K.anthotheca) to 123.8 m3ha-1 (D.melanoxylon) and MAI ranged from 5.38 m3ha-1 year-1 (D. melanoxylon) to 17.50 m3ha-1year-1(Khaya anthotheca).A. quanzensishad the poorest rank in stem form (12.5% of the trees with crooked stems) followed by D. melanoxylon and K. anthotheca whileM. excelsa was better in form. Though there were no significant (P>0.05) differences in wood basic density, the species differed markedly and D. melanoxylonhad the highest basic density (423.5 kgm-3) while K. anthotheca had the lowest (329.4 kgm-3). Overall,K. anthothecahad better performance (survival and growth) compared to the other species. However as a way of broadening the availability of indigenous species and based on their economic values,all the assessed species showed good performance and all shouldbe considered for further studies and planting in a small scale