Seed Centre

General Information

The Tree Seed Centre is a registered facility for supply of source-identified and tested seed for exotic and indigenous tree species. It provides advisory services to clients, including:

• Seed handling
• Germination techniques
• Seed pre-treatment and dormancy-breaking methods
• Species selection for specific planting zones

Tree improvement in Zimbabwe has been ongoing for over 40 years and is recognized among the best globally. Over the past 22 years, a multiple population breeding strategy has been refined. This program focuses on genetically improving tree species (mainly pines and eucalypts) for various uses such as poles, timber, pulp, and afforestation.

For example, Pinus patula shows a 17% gain in volume in first-generation selections, 38% cumulative gain in second generation, and up to 45% predicted for the third generation. The sawn timber rotation age has reduced from 30 to 25 years.

Seed collections for pines and most eucalypts are from genetically improved trees, while others come from selected or wild populations. We export to the USA, South Africa, Mozambique, Indonesia, Australia, Swaziland, and countries in South and Central America.

Seed Information

• Seed Quality
• Conditions of Sale
• Shipment

Effective Germination Factor (EGF)

The EGF formula calculates viable seedlings from seed lots:

For Pines:
EGF = a ÷ b × c × d × e

For Eucalypts:
EGF = a ÷ e × f

Where:

• a: Standard seedling recovery for the species
• b: Seeds per kg in the seed lot
• c: Purity %
• d: Germination %
• e: Nursery recovery % (70% for pines, 25% for eucalypts)
• f: Germinable seeds per kg (eucalypts only)

Standard Seedling Recovery per Kg

• Eucalyptus paniculata: 317,000
• Eucalyptus grandis (Mtao): 457,000
• Eucalyptus grandis (GG2): 585,000
• Eucalyptus citriodora: 136,000
• Eucalyptus tereticornis: 297,000
• Pinus patula: 97,000
• Pinus elliotii: 22,000
• Pinus taeda: 31,000

Seed Order Allowances

• Eucalypts: Add 75% for nursery loss + 10% for blanking
• Pines: Add 30% for nursery loss + 10% for blanking

Seed Species Data