ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL FOR RAISING MANGROVE SEEDLINGS USING HOLLOW CONCRETE POTS FOR COASTAL PROTECTION FOREST PLANTATIONS

Abstract

Mangrove forests play a crucial role in coastal protection, erosion control, and climate change adaptation. However, the effectiveness of mangrove afforestation in many coastal areas of Vietnam remains limited due to the low survival rates of seedlings, particularly under harsh site conditions characterized by strong wave action, tidal influence, and weak muddy substrates. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of raising mangrove seedlings using hollow concrete pots, through a synthesis of relevant studies combined with nursery - based experiments. The experiment was conducted on three dominant mangrove species: Rhizophora apiculata, Avicennia alba, and Sonneratia ovata. Seedlings were raised using two types of containers for monitoring and evaluation: hollow concrete pots and traditional soil - filled polybags. The study was carried out at the Western Sea Protection Forest Management Board in Ca Mau province, Vietnam. After six months, seedlings grown in hollow concrete pots exhibited higher survival rates and better growth performance compared to those raised in conventional soil containers. Specifically, Rhizophora apiculata achieved a survival rate of 91.1%, an average height of 66.7 cm, and a root collar diameter of 1.7 cm; Avicennia alba showed a survival rate of 93.3%, a height of 60.3 cm, and a root collar diameter of 0.8 cm; while Sonneratia ovata reached a survival rate of 96.5%, a height of 73.7 cm, and a root collar diameter of 1.2 cm. In addition, root systems developed more uniformly, with reduced root deformation and earlier formation of characteristic functional roots of mangrove species. Although the initial investment and production costs are higher, hollow concrete pots demonstrate superior economic and environmental efficiency in the medium and long term. The findings confirm that hollow concrete pots are a promising technical solution with high applicability for mangrove seedling production and coastal protection forest establishment in Vietnam.