Preface This book is designed to acquire concepts and techniques for the sustainable development and management technology for plant production, development and conservation. The book is in six chapters that includes introduction, techniques in the creation and management of tree nursery, plant propagation [plant reproduction], management in the nursery, production of plants in the nursery and the agroforestry tree domestication technology to technicians and farmers interested or practicing Agroforestry and applied silviculture. An insight of the book is aimed at gaining practical knowledge in the various chapters listed above. Chapter one brings out the definitions of silviculture Silviculture, forest nursery, forest, seeds, and the relationship between silviculture, forestry and forest management. Chapter two deals with the collection of seeds or planting materials (germplasm collection): propagation techniques, setting up a nursery, plant development in the nursery, plant propagation techniques, nursery shade house; substrates quality and composting: substrate quality, organic matter, set priority species, select best individual trees, seedling handling and nursery hygiene. Chapter three contains sexual reproduction in plants which is also known as plant propagation, seed harvesting, preparation and conservation, seedling quality and vegetative propagation. Chapter four elaborates on the nursery and includes, the creation of a nurseries; permanent nurseries, temporal or seasonal nurseries, choosing a nursery site and work in the nursery. Chapter five is the production of plants and includes sowing in the nursery, pricking out, the different types of plants produced in the nursery and the use of fertilizers. Chapter six brings out processes in the domestication technology: propagation techniques of agroforestry trees, environment and landuse management of agroforestry trees in the farm; Scaling up agroforestry technology, uses of some non-timber forest products and conservation Agriculture [CA] in Cameroon. This book will help to equipped prospective graduates, project designers and/or formulators with the knowledge to design their projects with ease. It will equally develop farmers’ entrepreneurs with the knowledge to improve and exploit the agroforestry sector, plant production, nursery management and the management of agroforestry farms.

1.1 DEFINITIONS 1. Forest Forest is the homeland of trees. Because man must protect and maintain the life of the forest and because of this;  certain natural calamities  and  bad  use  of  the  forest  constitute  severe danger to  the forest  and the  environment at large.  In  other to divert from these difficulties, man was bound to cultivate trees. This is silviculture. Silviculture then became a science and art.

2.1. GERMPLASM COLLECTION a. Propagation techniques There are four main propagation techniques that are used in plant reproduction for most plants, viz; • Seed • Cuttings • Marcotting • Grafting Note: That not all plants can be propagated by all the four methods mention above.

3.0 INTRODUCTION There are two main types of plant reproduction / multiplication that are used and these include sexual reproduction known as seed propagation / multiplication and the asexual reproduction known as vegetative propagation / multiplication. Propagation is most often by seeds produced by plants or by plant parts like vines, roots, tubers, suckers, etc. Propagation is the natural mechanism by which plants regenerate. Seed is the organ of reproduction in flowering plants. 3.1 SEXUAL REPRODUCTION OR SEED PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES Seed is the organ of reproduction in flowering plants. Sexual reproduction is propagation by seeds. This is the main method by which plants reproduced in nature as most plants produce seeds except in species that have separate male and female plants; e.g. Njansang (Ricinodendron heudelotii) and Black fruit (Canarium schweinfurthii) Seed multiplication seems to be the most practicable technique by the farmers. Example Agroforestry Species that are mostly propagated by seeds are Sweet Bush mango [Irvingia garbonensis], Bitter Bush mango [Irvingia wombolo], Bitter kola, Kola nitida, Kola acuminata, Njansang [Ricinodendron heudelotii].

4.1 THE NURSERY We distinguish several types of nurseries among which we have Permanent nursery and Temporal or Seasonal nursery. 4.1.1 Permanent nursery Permanent nursery is a large nursery destined to produce large number of plants for several years or in other words, the place is used for several years even if the plantation center is far. It is also called the central or industrial nursery. For example, the Cameroon Development Corporation [CDC] with head quarter in Limbe has its central nursery in Bota – Limbe. Here oil palm seedlings are being transported from the nursery in Limbe to the Bomboko area in Idenau Subdivision and Illoani in Ndian Division. A special management practices is being carried out in this type of nursery notably: • Access road for vehicles accessible in all seasons ; • Forecast annual rotation of surface area and annual production of plants; • Forecast species with permanent shelter to serve for the protection of pots; • Anticipated area for irrigation systems; • Construct a shade, store, office and a guard’s room; • Forecast methods of plant preservation for plants destined to be transported to far stations.

5.1 PRODUCTION METHODS OR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLANTS PRODUCED IN THE NURSERY The different types of plants produced in the nursery include plants in plastic bags, bare-root plants, stumps, pseudo estacas, root trainers, copper coated trainers and jiffy pellets. The most common production techniques may not always be the best. Bare-root plants and pseudo estacas are easy to transport to the field, but their survival and growth are usually very poor. Plastic bags are cheap and easily available, but they result in coiled roots and are heavy to carry to the field. Root trainers, copper coated trainers and jiffy pellets are alternative systems which may have higher initial costs for the nursery. However, the farmer will receive the benefit of fast growth and high survival in the field

6.1 PROCESSES IN THE DOMESTICATION TECHNOLOGY 6.1.1 Introduction The world Agroforestry centre Former international Centre for Research in Agro – forestry (ICRAF) and other home base orgainsation in their programme Africa Humid Tropics Regional programmed are the leader in the science and practice of integrating working trees on small farms and in rural landscapes. In this programme trees that ensure security in food nutrition income, health, shelter and energy and a regenerated environment are domesticated. The mission of this is to increase; diversify and stabilize income, food and health strategies from practicing agroforestry approaches in general domesticating indigenous trees and their products particular. Definition of Agroforestry Basically agro forestry is the integration of agriculture forestry and sometimes animal production. This is a measure to maintain soil fertility, stop desertification and soil degradation. Foresters and agriculturalist have long recognized the important of these approached which have been incorporated into forestry law of severe countries. This does not only involve the planting of certain trees in farms but also the protection of certain trees species which are not to be felled or damaged during farming.