Growth variability in a Senegalese provenance of Acacia nilotica ssp tomentosa

Growth variability and effect of seed size on growth of seedlings of Acacia nilotica ssp. tomentosa of a Senegalese provenance were studied in a greenhouse experiment. Seedlings were raised from a sample of 52 seeds with a seed weight range of 0.070 g to 0.258 g; and a range of growth variables were measured on seedlings harvested 11 weeks after planting. Based on the sample mean and variance, the sample size required to estimate the parameter (mean) of the growth variables was determined. Seedlings showed a large variability in growth. There were five-fold and three- fold differences between seedlings in leaf area and total dry weight, respectively. Seed weight has little effect on seedling growth. The number of replications required to estimate a parameter mean of the different growth variables, within +/- 20% margin of error at P = 0.05, ranged from nine to 24. The observed growth variability was indicated to be an important biological variable which could be used to improve growth and yield in A. nilotica.