Influence of potting mixture on elite seedling production in bixa orellana

摘要

Bixa orellana commonly known as annatto or roucan is a multipurpose small evergreen tree, widely known for its dye, used for colouring food, dyeing cloth and painting skin. The pulp surrounding the seeds is widely used in herbal medicine to treat burns, dysentry, constipation and fever (Parrotta, 2001). Annatto seeds are the world's second most important natural colourant after caramel, yielding yellow to red colours (Mercandampe and Ptander, 1998). The colours may reach upto 7 per cent of the seedsdry mass (Kutzer, 1999), The success or failure of any forest plantation programme depends upon the quality planting stock which is to be planted to raise new crop under natural condition. It is therefore, imperative to raise healthy nursery stock beforetaking plantation work in which the most pragmatic step is to know the components of the potting media /mixture which enhances the growth and vigour of nursery stock. However such nursery studies are lacking in B. orellana, therefore the experiment wasconducted with this crop to select a suitable potting mixture for germination and establishment of seedlings.