PHYSIOLOGY OF OUGEINIA DALBERGIOIDES AND ITS NATURAL MORPHOLOGICAL VARIANT. I. GERMINATION, GROWTH BEHAVIOUR AND CARBON DIOXIDE EXCHANGE RATE

SUMMARY Ougeinia delbergioides Benth. has potential as a multi-purpose tree for production of fodder and fuel wood. Seeds remained viable for more than a year and showed 60–80% germination favoured by temperatures of around 30°C. Active growth is from May to September with average 0.4583 mg CO2 m-s1 net photosynthesis and about 0.005 mg CO2/mg H20 water use efficiency. Photosynthesis does not get saturated even at full sunlight of around 1900 μE m-2s. A natural morphological variant of the species was isolated with a higher rate of photosynthesis than the normal plant. However, it has poor water use efficiency and low light saturation.