The endangered Pterocarpus indicus Willd., or narra, is one of the priority species for biodiversity conservation and protection in the Philippines. However, no studies were conducted about the impact of provenance in the seedling performance and survival of narra. The present study aimed to address this gap and study the impact of seed sources and biofertilizer amendment on the growth and survival of P. indicus seedlings. Three seed provenances (natural forest, urban forest, commercial) and three biofertilizer treatments (no amendment, uncomposted chicken manure, MYKOVAM®) were used. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc analysis were used to assess the differences among treatments in terms of survival and growth performance indicators. Results showed that all treatments achieved maximum survival except the seedlings treated with chicken manure. Variations in growth performances among treatments revealed that seedlings from the natural forest exhibited significantly better performance in terms of root collar diameter, seedling height and leaf count. MYKOVAM® was found to significantly improve the growth of seedlings in terms of root collar diameter, root length, seedling height, leaf count, and nodulation. Lastly, significant correlational relationships were found among all of the growth parameters. The most significant relationship was observed for root collar diameter and seedling height. The results can serve as basis for future reforestation programs and further research aiming to improve the conservation of P. indicus.
Cite this article as: Gonzales Abadayan, J., & Esquibel Coracero, E. (2024). Seedling growth and survival of the endangered Pterocarpus indicus Willd. (Fabaceae) as affected by provenances and biofertilizer amendments. Forestist, 74(2), 166-174.