An experiment was carried out in the nursery at Adolph Ducke Forest Reserve, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, to compare three types of mulching material often used in forest nurseries and to test four shade levels on germination, emergence and development of rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora Ducke) seedlings. The seedbeds were covered with rice straw, sawdust and vcrmiculite. The shade levels (30, 50 and 70%) were obtained by using black polyolefine screens and 0% shading intensity was obtained under full open sky. The experimental design was a split-plot in randomized blocks. The types of mulch and interaction between shading levels and mulching did not influence seed germination and emergence speed index. The shade levels did not influence seed germination, but significantly effected emergence speed index. The mulches did not influence seedling growth in height, diameter and shoot, root and total dry weight, but the leaf area of the seedlings obtained with vermiculite mulch was greater than that obtained with sawdust. Better results in height growth and shoot, root and total dry weight were observed in seedlings grown under 30 and 50% shade. The interactions between 30% shade and vermiculite mulching and 50% shade and rice straw provided the best height growth and total dry weight, respectively.
Seedling production; forest nursery; growth; emergence