Nursery production and seedling establishment techniques for five native tree species in the Atlantic lowlands of Costa Rica

The most common seedling production method in non-industrial forest nurseries in Costa Rica involves filling 500 or 750 cm{dollar}{bsol}sp3{dollar} perforated plastic (poly) bags. These smooth bags can cause root coiling which leads to toppling several years after planting.; Seedlings of five commercially important and widely planted native hardwood species, Cordia alliodora, Hyeronima alchorneoides, Calophyllum brasiliense, Vochysia guatemalensis, and Vochysia ferruginea were grown under 11 nursery treatments to test the effect of container type and substrate quality. Treatments consisted of combinations of three container types: root trainers, paper pots, and plastic bags, and five substrates: soil with and without 10 g of N-P-K fertilizer, two composts, and 50% mixture of soil and compost.; Height and diameter were measured on all trees and leaf area, root length, dry weight of leaves, stems, and roots, and nutrient concentrations of these plant tissues measurements were made on a subset of seedlings. Seedlings were then planted in a 12-month field trial to determine the effects of initial seedling characteristics on final plant size, growth, and survival. The influence of two weeding regimes: manual weeding or herbicide treatment, and a one-time application of fertilizer to half of the seedlings, were also tested.; Total dry weight, height and diameter were greatest for Cordia alliodora plants grown in plastic bags filled with soil and fertilizer. Hyeronima alchorneoides grew better in compost with better physical characteristics and higher P availability than in soil amended with fertilizer. For both C. alliodora and H. alchorneoides, plant total dry weight, leaf area, and root length were greater for plants grown in root trainers filled with compost than those grown in bags of unamended soil. For Calophyllum brasiliense, there were no significant differences between plants grown with and without fertilizer. Total dry weight of plants grown in compost was less than plants grown in soil with and without fertilizer. Seedlings of both V. guatemalensis and V. ferruginea were chlorotic and stunted when grown in compost.; Planting stock characteristics as well as weeding regimes and fertilization influenced plant size and plant growth during the 12-month period. For C. alliodora, small plants with a low ratio of above to below-ground biomass grew fastest. Weed control using herbicide improved growth, but survival was lower than in manually-weeded plots. Plant size at the time of planting determined final plant size of H. alchorneoides. Large plants retained their size advantage. Weed control using herbicide and fertilization improved growth, but there was an interaction between nursery treatments and weeding. For C. brasiliense, despite initial differences in planting stock characteristics, these differences did not influence the growth and final plant size. Field fertilization also did not affect growth.