Germination of Chrysophyllum albidum seeds in response to seed weight and temperatures

Chrysophyllum albidum is a prominent indigenous, economic fruit tree species in the humid tropics.
Its domestication is retarded by the paucity of seedlings due to hard seed coat dormancy.
An investigation was conducted to overcome problems associated with the seed germination of C. albidum in the forest nursery of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
A split-plot experiment involving temperature of water used for hydropriming (27, 50, 73 and 96°C) combined with seed weights (1.2, 1.5 and 1.8 g) with four replicates was employed to explore the possibility of enhancing seed germination.
Water temperature and seed weights constituted the main and sub-plot treatments, respectively.
Seed germination was significantly increased by temperature of water used for hydroprimimg.
It peaked at 50°C. Seed germination increased with seed weight.
The highest germination of 86.25% occurred in 1.8-g seeds hydropromed with 50°C water indicating an interaction between the seed weight and temperature of water used for priming.
This combination of seed size and temperature of water for hydropriming is recommended for the mass production of C. albidum seedlings in agro-forestry nurseries.

III All Africa Horticultural Congress

D.O. Adelani, M.A. Aduradola, M.T. Akande, J.A. Bamikole

indigenous fruit trees, hydroprimimg

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1225.38