SII TRAINING WORKSHOP ON ALLANBLACKIA DOMESTICATION THE PERSPECTIVE OF NURSERY OPERATORS GHANA EXPERIENCE BY HENNEH SAMUEL INTERNATIONAL TREE SEED CENTRE (ITSC) 25TH OCTOBER 2006 NAIROBI - KENYA

1
SII TRAINING WORKSHOP ON ALLANBLACKIA
DOMESTICATIONTHE PERSPECTIVE OF NURSERY
OPERATORSGHANA EXPERIENCEBYHENNEH
SAMUELINTERNATIONAL TREE SEED CENTRE (ITSC)25TH
OCTOBER 2006NAIROBI - KENYA
2
OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION

• OBJECTIVES OF THE CENTER
• METHOD OF AB FRUITS COLLECTION
• RAISING OF AB SEEDLINGS IN THE NURSERY
• POTTING OF AB SEEDLINGS
• MANAGEMENT OF GERMINATION BEDS AND AB SEEDLINGS
• RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

3
OBJECTIVES OF ITSC

• To produce high quality tree seeds by
  establishing seed orchards
• To raise improved quality tree seedlings to
  enhance national afforestration programme
• To provide consultancy services for small and
  large tree plantation developers

4
METHOD OF AB FRUITS COLLECTION

• Unilever played an important role for providing
  ITSC with the GPS information of the AB trees for
  the collection
• Collections were carried out in two regions
  Ashanti and Western
• Focal men were selected from the communities who
  did purchasing of AB fruits for ITSC
• With the help from the focal men ITSC staff
  selected AB trees. These trees were marked.
• The focal men bought fruits only from the
  selected trees and packed them at a central
  point.
• Staff of ITSC collected the AB fruits and
  transported them to its central nursery.
• Collection started in February and ended at the
  end of March

5
RAISING OF AB SEEDLINGS

• CONSTRUCTION OF GERMINATION BEDS
• 110 BEDS WERE CONSTRUCTED
• ( Measuring 1.2m 10m)
• 1 part of river sand and 2 parts of forest top
  soil were mixed and spread over the top of each
  germination bed(About 5cm high)
• AB fruits were opened and their seeds removed,
  washed in fresh water and sown on germination
  beds. The seeds were covered with the same soil
  mixture.
• A shade net of 50 was used to provide shade.
• POTTING OF AB SEEDLINGS
• After complete germination, AB seedlings were
  pricked out and transplanted into polybags of
  sizes ( 10cm 25 cm) The composition of the soil
  media was made up of 1 part of top soil collected
  from under the AB tree . 1 part of river sand and
  2 parts of forest top soil
• MANAGEMENT OF AB SEEDLINGS
• Watering was carried out early in the mornings (6
  a.m 10 a.m) and late in the afternoons
  (3pm-6pm) no watering was done during raining
  days
• Weeds were removed from the beds
• Organic mulch was used to cover the surface of
  the beds to control weeds and prevent evaporation
  of water from the surface of beds

6
RAISING OF AB SEEDLINGS

• RESULTS
• In all 26,300 pods were collected 600,000 seeds
  were sown
• First germination was recorded in three months.
• 30,000 seedlings have been potted
• CONCLUSION
• Finding a lasting solution to shorten the long
  germination period of AB will be a welcoming news
  to all
• THANK YOU