Effect of Soil Mixtures on Early Growth Performance of Grevillea robusta and Cupressus lusitanica Seedlings in the Highlands of Kenya

Seedling production nurseries have been receiving much attention because of increasing demand for seedlings. In sub-Saharan Africa studies showed over 50% smallholder seedlings planted were sourced in tree nurseries. This has caused a rise need to improve quality especially focused on level. The focus most early growth performance selected key species important either commercial plantation or agroforestry varied length the study periods and measurement parameters, with never being compare farmer practices industry. main objective is determine effect growing media Grevillea robusta Cupressus lusitanica highlands Kenya. These from literature shown abundance terms availability received complaints performance. parameters under observation height, branch numbers, leaf numbers survival these six-month period. There 13 treatments which included various soil mixtures as follows: Agricultural (A), Forest (FS), Farmyard Manure (FYM), Sand (S) their combinations. employed Completely Randomized Design total 390 per species. that mixture combined mean cumulative highest was FS 78±3.2% lowest A+S+FYM (37±4.2%). performed better (70±1.2%), height (171±8.1mm), (25±1.1), (119±12.1), when compared (38±1.6%), (57±4.0mm), (2±0.2), (13±1.1%) nursery. Different had differently each FS+FYM+S best performing C. branching, survival. also observed G. demonstrates nursery two require different ensure high