Replication data for: Early decapitation on African plum control-pollinated seedlings and consequences on subsequent growth in Cameroon

A decapitation test was used to assess control-pollinated seedlings’ growth in Dacryodes edulis. Thirty nine weeks after sowing, pot-grown seedlings belonging to 13 control-pollinated progenies from 4 provenances were decapitated by removal the shoot apex or the uppermost node, leaving shoots of uniform height of 40 cm. The stem size (height and diameter) were measured and the number of leaves counted weekly for a period of 39 weeks after sowing (WAS) in the nursery. Then the length and number of lateral shoots (twigs) subsequently formed were measured during a period of 2 to 8 weeks after decapitation (WAD) in a net house to determine the branching frequency. Previous to decapitation seedling height did not show significant variation (P>0.05) in all crosses combined 39 WAS.