Effects of Pot Size and Planting Media on the Early Seedling Growth Performance of Azadirachta indica A. Juss

Neem is a multipurpose tree that is provides food and insecticide and is used for its great number of ethnomedicinal properties. Neem, known botanically as Azadirachta indica A. Juss is a member of the mahogany family (Meliaceae), and orders Geraniales, and is synonymous with Melia azadirachta Linn and Melia indica Brandis. Azandirachta indica originates from the arid and semi-arid areas of Burma and Northeast India. Neem is a large evergreen tree 12 to 20 meters tall and may reach a girth of 1.8 to 2.5 meters with a round, dense crown. The aim of this study was to determine appropriate pot size and growing medium for Azadirachta indica A. Juss seedlings, which will be used for successful plantation. For this purpose, polyethylene pots of 15 cm length and 8, 10 and 12 cm lay flats diameter were used. As growing medium, 5 different treatments were used, containing different ratios of top/local soil (TS), forest soil (FS), compost (Co) and sand soil (SS) collected from local, natural forest environments and highly decomposed compost (the different materials get from locally easily available). The experimental design was a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications under open field conditions of forestry nursery. Some morphological properties of the seedlings, such as seedling height and root collar diameter growth parameters were measured ever two weeks for four (4) months old seedlings. The finding of this experimental study revealed/showed that relatively higher growth recorded in GM2 and GM4 ratio of composite growing media (3/2 topsoil:2 compost:1 sand soil) composites soil mixed growing media with both 10 cm and 12 cm lay flat polythene pots (PS2 and PS3) should be utilized for raising Azandirachta indica (Neem) seedling to achieve the best seedlings quality. To obtain the best or optimum seedling quality were the interaction effects of growing media and appropriated containers (pot sizes) were important and basic than doing experiment separately. Knowing the best growing media was the major determinant to get the best quality seedlings at the nursery for successful plantation.