PARTICIPATORY LEARNING AND ACTION RESEARCH

1
Tree Domestication Coursemodule -Agroforestry
Tree Seed ProductionByStephen RuiguFebruary
2001
2
Why produce seed?

• For specific agroforestry practices
• Satisfy current demand
• Anticipated future demand (proactive seed
  production)

3
Prerequisites for seed stand establishment.

• Identification of appropriate species
• /provenance
• Is there demand for seed now or in future
• Procurement of "basic seed of adequate genetic
  base
• True to type seed
• hybrids.

4
Seed stand location factors

• Accessibility
• Soil fertility
• Pests and diseases
• Presence of pollinators
• Isolation

5
Stand design factors

• Tree spacing
• Number of trees
• Isolation distance

6
Management

• Seedlings raising in nursery
• Field preparation
• Stand establishment
• Cover cropping
• Coppicing
• Fertilization

7
Seed harvest

• Quality seed
• Physiological
• Genetic

8
Physiological quality factors

• Seed maturity
• Harvesting method
• Harvesting interval
• Harvesting conditions

9
Genetic quality factors

• Wide base
• Approximate equal quantity of seed from each
  tree
• Bulking

10
Seed Processing and Storage

• Extraction
• Drying
• Testing
• Documentation
• Storage conditions