Responses to Defoliation of Voacanga africana Are Dependent on Light Availability Authors Titus Fondo Ambebe
Journal Title: International Journal of Life Science and Agriculture Research - Year 2024, Vol 3, Issue 09
Abstract
Understorey plants are often subjected to damage by branches falling from forest canopies. Voacanga africana is an understorey tree that is native to tropical Africa. To investigate the combined effects of light availability and defoliation on growth of the species, seedlings were subjected to three defoliation levels (0 %, 25 %, 50 %) and two light regimes (50 % sunlight, full sunlight) in a greenhouse. The experiment followed a split-plot design with light availability as the whole plot and defoliation level as the sub-plot. Morphology, biomass, and leaf chlorophyll content were measured three months after the initiation of treatments. The lower light regime increased height while it decreased root mass and leaf chlorophyll content. No significant main effect of defoliation was detected for any parameter. There were, however, significant light × defoliation interactions for height, root-collar diameter, leaf mass, stem mass, and total mass. While the effect of the lower light regime on height was limited to the 25 % defoliation level, the treatment resulted in a decline of root-collar diameter and leaf mass only at 0 % defoliation. The 25 % defoliation level increased stem mass and total mass under the 50 % sunlight but not full sunlight treatment where differences between defoliation levels were not statistically significant. The mass ratios of leaf, stem, root, and leaf area ratio were unresponsive to light availability and defoliation either individually or in combination. The findings indicate that growth compensatory responses of Voacanga africana to defoliation are controlled by light availability.
Authors and Affiliations
Titus Fondo Ambebe, Salliana Ateh Fondo, Grace Yusinyu Kongor
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP746201
- DOI https://doi.org/10.55677/ijlsar/V03I9Y2024-08
- Views 4
- Downloads 0
Effect of Cow Manure on Soil Organic Carbon, Total Nitrogent, and Growth of Choy Sum in Gold Mine Tailings
Mining activities in Bogor, Indonesia produce tailings contaminated with heavy metal Hg that can cause damage to physical, chemical, and soil properties. This research was carried out from October 2022 to February 2023 a...
Comparison Activity Test of Antioxidant of Water Extract Coffee Robusta (Coffea canephora) and Water Extract Coffee Arabica (Coffea arabica) with the Method DPPH (1,1-difenil-2-pikrilhidrazil)
Coffee is one of the beverage ingredients that is widely consumed by the public In Indonesia, there are many types of coffee, including robusta coffee and arabica coffee Both of these coffees have high antioxidant conten...
Soil Fertility Status of the Two Eruptions of Mount Tangkuban Parahu and Mount Tampomas in Tanjungsari District Sumedang Regency
Soil fertility is one of the important factors to optimize plant growth and productivity. This study aims to analyze the status of soil fertility through soil physical analysis (texture) soil chemistry (pH H2O and KCl, C...
Contributions of Climatic Smart Agricultural Practises on Adaptation to Climate Change among Small holder farmers in Nyaribari Chache Sub-County, Kisii County
Smallholder farmers are usually susceptible to the effects of climatic variations. Most of these farmers, their agricultural activities are greatly rainfall dependent and compounded by their acute poverty, poor infrastru...
Neglected wild rice (Oryza spp.) in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, five wild rice species are reported; Oryza nivara [AA], O. rufipogan (AA) O. eichengeri [CC], O. rhizomatis (CC) and O. granulate (GG). Wild rice is the presumed progenitor/s of cultivated rice and is distr...