Rehabilitation of Degraded Forest with Shorea leprosula and S. selanica Cuttings

background

This article describes limits to dipterocarp-based reforestation due to irregular flowering pattern, short seed storage period, and uncertain planting techniques in Southeast Asia. In West Java, Indonesia, the authors test the effectiveness of vegetative propagation for two species of fast-growing dipterocarps: Shorea leprosula and Shorea selanica.

Research Goals & Methods

Vegetative propagation was conducted by using the autotrophic shoots of dipterocarp wildlings and growth in a fog-cooling greenhouse system, described in more detail in the paper. The growth and survival of these species grown from cuttings different spacing regimes: 2 x 2m, 3 x 3m, 4 x 4m, and 5 x 5m were compared. Additionally, at 4 x 4m spacing, the growth and survival of trees grown from cuttings were compared with the growth and survival of trees grown from seed.

Conclusions & Takeaways

At 18 months after planting, the survival and growth of both species were higher in the high density plots than the lower density plots. At 2 x 2m spacing, S. leprosula had a heigh of 128.9cm and 76% survival while S. selanica had a height of 131.5 cm and 83% survival. At 4x4 m spacing, planting stock from cutting performed better than those from seed. Overall, the authors suggest that vegetative propagation can be a successful means of developing material for restoration and that closer initial spacing can be more effective than greater distances between trees.