Dalbergia oliveri - Cambodia Tree Seed Project

a) Species and family
Species:
Species:Dalbergia oliveri Gramble & Pierre
Synonym: Dalbergis bariensis Pierre
Dalbergia dongnaiense Pierre
Vernacular name:Neang Nuon (Cambodia)
Family:Leguninosae
Sub family: Papilionoideae
Genjus: Dalbergia
Period of testing: 21 November 2002
Date of compilation: 15 September 2003
Dalbergia oliveri
b) General information: A big tree with 15-30-m in height, and distributes in Cambodia, Thai, Laos and
Southern part of Vietnam. Wood is very hard with white yellowish color for sapwood and dark brown color
for heartwood. the wood is very popular for construction and precise furniture. Fruit is indehiscent pod with
green when it is still young and turn to dark brown or black when it become mature. Each fruit content one
or two seeds. Fruit and seed are very favorite for insect attack when they are premature and mature, Due to
the popular use, this species, now, is very endanger species.
Picture 2: Young fruit
Picture 1: Seedling of D.oliveri in natural forest.
Picture 3: Mature fruit and seed
c) Collection: Small branches with mature fruit were cut, and fruit was pickup, and due to the fruit was very
wet, after collection fruit was dried under sun light for two days, then kept in clothes bags for 3days more
before shipping to seed lab.
d) Processing: In lab, fruit was dried for 2 days more then fruit was superficially pounded by mortar and
pestle, after that pieces of fruit wall was removed by blowing, then seed was collected. For some fruit still
not released the seed it was re pounded until seed had been received The seed was then sorted to separate
good seed form the infection. After sorting, seed was dried again for one day more before testing.
e) Testing:
1-Seed background
- Date of collection: 21/11/02
- Site of collection: Pal Hal Village, Tbaing Meanchey district, Preah Vihear province.
- Amount seed collected: 2kg

2-Initial test
- Site for testing: CTSP Seed Lab
-Test Date: 04 December 2002
-Initial moisture content: 14.29 %
-Seed weight:
163g /1,000 seeds or 6135 seeds/kg
-Cutting test: 89 %
3- Pretreatment test:
Four different temperatures of water and burn seed with seed burner were applied for pre treatment test, and
result shown below:
Table 1: Result of pre treatment test.
Pretreatment Germination for 1week % Germination rate (%)
A- No pretreatment ( control) 11 55
B-Soak in normal water over night 11 50
C- Soak in 40°C water and left to cool over night 16 64
D-Burn fruit wall, then soak in normal water over
night
4 10
Conclusion: The 3 method with temperature of water ranges from normal to 40°C provides a more satisfied
result compare to burning seed with seed burner. So, seed D.oliveri does not content dormancy, because
appropriate temperature of water is not quite hot (40 °C) and could be considered as normal water.
4- Storage trial
Seed was divided to two groups and stored in two different condition: ambient room, and room with
temperature is about 10°C . The result received from this storage displayed below: C.
Table 2 –Result of storage trial
Period of storage Condition of storage Moisture content (%) Germination rate (%)
1 month
10°C 14.17 65
Ambient 14.99 60
3 months
10 earlier 13.59 61
Ambient 13.58 36
6 months
10°C 13.47 50
Ambient 13.20 7
9 months
10°C 13.36 56
Ambient 13.21 0
12 months
10°C 13.23 33
Ambient 12.81 0
Conclusion: Storage in a refrigerator can extend the viability of seed better then in ambient room. In an
ordinary room the best results showed a storage period of one month only.
f) Comments for seed procurement: Fruit of D.oliveri should be collected in December -January, if left
any later, the fruit may be damaged by insects. After collecting, fruit should be dried under sunlight to ease
seed extraction. After drying, fruit should be superficially pounded by mortar and pestle, leaf waste removed,
and the unprocessed fruit re-pounded. Seed attacked by insects needs to be removed, and if the attack was
serious, all seed should be floated in water, and only the sunken seed kept and dried again before storage. If
possible, insecticide should be applied to the seed before storage, but care must be taken to ensure that this
does not harm the seed.
Seed should be sown as soon as possible into nursery beds. However, if it has to be stored, it should be in a
refrigerator at a temperature of 10°C. If this facility is unavailable, the seed can be kept in closed plastic bag
and placed in an ordinary room or shaded place in a temperature not exceeding 30°C. In the latter case, the
duration of storage is limited to less than 3 months.