ZIMBABWE COLLEGE OF FORESTRY

AND
FOREST INDUSTRIES TRAINING CENTRE

DIPLOMA IN FORESTRY

NURSERY PRACTICE
FINAL EXAMINATION

DATE: 02 / 12/ 2014 SEMESTER: 1

Instructions to candidates
1. Answer all questions in Section A and any three from Section B.
2. Show working for all calculations.
3. Write only on one side of the answer sheet.
4. Write your name on each answer sheet at the top right hand corner.
5. Start each question in Section B on a new sheet.
6. You can answer the questions in any order but must arrange your answer scripts in
numerical order for presentation.
7. Indicate the questions you have answered on the cover page of the answer sheet.
8. Failure to follow instructions results in a 2% penalty of the final mark.

THIS PAPER CONTAINS TWELVE QUESTIONS.

Question 2
How long after sowing will wattle seed to germinate? [1]

Question 3
Give four reasons why decentralised nurseries may be preferred compared to centralised
ones. [4]

Question 4
Describe an ideal nursery design [10]

Question 5
State any four tools used for working the soil in a nursery and describe their specific use.
[8]

Question 6
Describe hot water treatment as a method of pre-treating Acacia mearnsii seed before sowing
[10]

Question 7
Why are kaylite trays dipped in copper based chemicals before use in the planter flat nursery?
[5]
 SECTION B
ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS
60 MARKS
Question 8
a) Define hardening off. [2]
b) Describe three methods through which seedlings can be hardened off [6]
c) Give any three common insect pests in a nursery and explain the nature of damage they
cause to seedlings [9]
d) Explain any three cultural measures that help prevent Damping –off in a nursery.
[3]
Question 9
a) Give an account of the qualities of a good seed tree. [8]
b) Describe the Purity Test conducted on seed. [10]
c) State any two factors that influence the Longevity of seeds under storage. [2]

Question 10
a) Outline five objectives for carrying out vegetative propagation. [5]
b) Illustrate
i. chip budding [5]
ii. cleft grafting [5]
iii. Air layering is a method of vegetative propagation. The process involves a stage
called girdling and scraping. Explain how girdling is undertaken.
[5]
Question 11
a) Design a nursery calendar for use in your home locality involving Eucalyptus
camaldulensis species. [14]
b) Outline the key responsibilities of the supervisor. [6]

Question 12
a) You have been deployed to start forest operations on a newly acquired land property
stretching 5 000 ha. One major task you are expected to do is to find an ideal nursery site.
Describe seven factors that will guide you in selecting the nursery site. [14]
b) State the three inorganic fertilizer formulations and give an example in each case.
[6]
 MARKING GUIDE
SECTION A
ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS
60 MARKS
Question 1
Define nursery [2]
 A place where young tree species are raised with special care and protection. These
seedlings are normally for afforestation and tree planting.
 A place where young trees or other plants are raised for transplanting, for sale, or
for experimental study.

Question 2
How long after sowing will wattle seed to germinate [1]
 +/- 10 days for wattle

Question 3
Give four reasons why decentralised nurseries may be preferred compared to centralised
ones. [4]
- Distribution benefits eg. cash earnings
- Distribution of planting material
- Guaranteed production
- Quality of production – greater in smaller nurseries.
- Capital investment – low inputs, everyone can afford

Question 4
Describe an ideal nursery design [10]
 A nursery should be compact and approximately square as this is the most efficient
shape and minimise boundary length where protective fencing is required.
 Orderly internal layout is important for ease of operations and there should be no
waste ground where weeds can grow; although occasionally unused land has to be
included where future expansion is planned.
 Nursery beds with either the container or bed method are normally 1.0 to 1.2m wide
to facilitate hand tending.
 Length is unimportant; this is normally dictated by irrigation method.
 Paths between beds should be wide enough for walking.
 Operations should follow a logical sequence
 Unnecessary holds up and movement must be avoided.
 Well Terraced on steep slopes
Question 5

State fany four tools used for working the soil in a nursery and describe their specific use.[8]
Pickaxe Is used to break up hard and stony ground. The steel head is double-
ended with a point at one end and a blade at the other.
Traditional hoe Is used for loosening the soil.
Shovel Is used for moving earth, for sieving soil and soil mixing.

Flat-pronged fork Is used for loosening soil, to lift bare-rooted seedlings and to turn over
compost. Where work is done bare-footed or with light shoes, the fork
should have a small foot-rest.

Rake Breaks up and levels the soil. It has a row of 10 – 16 teeth and is fitted with a
1.80m handle.

Question 6
Describe hot water treatment as a method of pre-treating Acacia mearnsii seed before sowing
[10]
 Bring water to the boil,
 remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes,
 immerse the seed in hot water for 5 minutes,
 discard any floating seed and stir constantly.
 Remove seed and wash under cold water, then
spread seed on canvas or hessian and allow to dry under shade
Question 7
Why are kaylite trays dipped in copper based chemicals before use in the planter flat nursery?
[5]
- stop roots from penetrating the kaylite
- assist in air pruning/ acts as pruning chemical
- extend tray life
- kill pathogens
- encourage prolific feeder roots
- have good root plug
- ensure better establishment
 SECTION B
ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS
60 MARKS
Question 8
e) Define Hardening off [2]
The gradual withdrawal of favourable growing conditions in a nursery so as to adapt
seedlings to harsher conditions like those in the field.

f) Describe three methods through which seedlings can be hardened off [6]
 Reducing watering frequency
 Increasing root pruning frequency
 Reducing fertilizer application gradually until nothing finally
 Removing shade gradually
g) Give any three common insect pests in a nursery and explain the nature of damage they
cause to seedlings (9)
Cut worms – These are larvae of butterflies also called caterpillars, active in the
morning. They cut the stem at root collar, dig a hole and hide there. controlled by
insecticides and hand picking
grasshoppers - these are leaf eaters, active during the warm part of the day. All stages
cause damage except eggs
Mole cricket - also a grasshopper which eats leaves and the stem. Active in the evening
White grub - larva causes damages; active during the night; it drowns the whole plant by
cutting plant and pulling it down. It digs a hole and hides there.
h) Explain any three cultural measures that help prevent Damping –off in a nursery.[3]
- changing soil in the seedbeds after some years;
- immediately removing plants infected by fungi or attacked by pests and burning or
burying them;
- avoiding excessive watering;
- allowing for good drainage (sand in seedbeds);
- ensuring good air circulation;
- removing weeds and lowering density of seedlings in beds;
- reducing nitrogen content (less manure, less chemical fertiliser).

Question 9
a) Give an account of the qualities of a good seed tree. [8]
Vigour - together with other qualities, good growing vigour is important (fast height growth
and diameter increment). Stands bearing a lot of seed are not necessarily the most vigorous
growing.
Forn -Diameter of branches: trees with relatively light or thin branching habits (gives
smaller knots in the saw timber).

Position of the branches: branches must preferably be spread over the stem and not in
whorls (forms groups of knots).
Branching angle: the angle of the branch on the stem should be as close to 90  as possible,
to obtain good occlusion and small knot surface area.
Stem form: the stem should be as cylindrical and straight as possible with minimum taper.

Timber Quality - although it is not possible to determine density and fibre length in the
field, an indication of general spirality can be obtained to a point.

Resistance to diseases and insects - certain conditions of trees with a stand, show a marked
resistance, especially towards fungi.
b) Describe the Purity Test conducted on seed. [10]
Purity Tests are carried out to determine the composition of the seedlot and the identity of
the various species of seeds and inert particles making up the sample.
The test is carried out on a representative sample from the seedlot, using a glass surface on
which all seed and other particles are examined one by one with the aid of a knife and a pair
of forceps. Impurities can include seeds of other species, small portions of damaged seeds,
seed wings, piece of cone or cone scales, unfertilised ovules (Eucalypt chaff) and any other
foreign matter such as sand, soil, twigs, etc. All whole seeds of correct species and pieces of
such seed more than half original size are separated to one side away from other matter.
No attempt is made to judge whether or not seeds are full. The mass of pure seed is then
weighed and expressed as a percentage of the whole sample before separation. Work must
be done very carefully to be value and replication will improve reliability of results. The
proportion by weight of pure seed of the species in a sample containing both seeds and
impurities expresses seed purity, the formula is:
Purity % = Weight of pure seeds x 100
Weight of pure seeds plus impurities

c) State any two factors that influence the Longevity of seeds under storage. [2]

- genetic characteristics
- initial quality
- storage conditions

Question 10
c) Outline five objectives for carrying out vegetatite propagation. [5]
 Maintenance of clones(plants resemble parents)
 Propagation of seedless plants
 Propagation of plant species whose seed is difficult to germinate.
 To reduce the period to flowering/fruiting
 To rejuvenate trees
 To change the tree characteristics
d) Illustrate
iv. Chip budding [5]
v. cleft grafting [8]
 e) Air layering is a method of vegetative propagation. The process involves a stage
called girdling and d scraping. Explain how this process is undertaken. [5]
This involves pressing of a sharp knife against the bark preferably as close as possible
below a node, moving the knife in circular motion around the stem. A similar cut is made
generally about 2 cm to 5 cm below the first cut, but it can be wider with larger stems. The
two cuts are then connected by a straight cut and the bark is pried loose and removed. The
debarked portion of the stem is then scraped to remove the phloem and cambium, that
slippery coating on the wood, to prevent the wound from healing and the upper and lower
barks from reconnecting.

Question 11

c) Design a nursery calendar for use in your home locality involving Eucalyptus
camaldulensis species. [14]
TIMING JAN FEB MARCH APRIL …………DEC
WEEK
ACTIVITY 1 2 3 4
SEED
PROCUREMENT
SITE
PREPARATION
SOIL
COLECTION
POT FILLING
WATERING

(NB The calendar can take various shapes. It should have not less than ten ACTIVITIES each
with correct timing)
b) Outline the key responsibilities of the supervivor.
 To plan all aspects of the nursery, including the budget. The nurseryperson must also
decide what happens to the seedlings: how many for the forest, how many for the
villagers.
 To set targets: to decide how many seedlings the nursery will produce each year.
 To organise, train and explain the duties to the casual workers. (the nurseryman or
woman will be responsible for them.)
 To set up a system so that the necessary materials are always available.
 To budget
 To keep records (see below)

Question 12
a) You have been deployed to start forest operations on a newly acquired land property
stretching 5 000 ha. One major task you are expected to do is to find an ideal nursery site.
Describe seven factors that will guide you in selecting the nursery site. [14]
 Water
 Growing media
 Topography and Slope
 Climatic Conditions
 Location
 Size of nursery
 Roads and Access

State the three inorganic fertilizer formulations and give an example in each case. [6]
Powder - Gypsum
Liquid - Growease, nutrifol
Granular Amonium nitrate, Compound D, Compound J