Combining Pre-sowing Treatments in Faidherbia albida (Delile) A. Chev. does not Imply Better Germination Success
G. B. Chuyong *
Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O.Box 63, Buea, SWR, Cameroon
T. Acidri
Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O.Box 63, Buea, SWR, Cameroon
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Seed dormancy has been an impeding factor in seedling recruitment. In this study we examined the performance of Faidherbia albida (Delile) A. Chev. seeds when exposed to the hot water + nicking pre-sowing treatment by evaluating the Cumulative Germination Percentage (CGP), Germination Velocities (GV) and Survival Percentages (SP).
Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the shade house of the Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea between November 2014 and December 2014.
Methodology: One hundred and eighty viable seeds were exposed to the hot water, nicking, hot water + nicking combination and control treatments, respectively, in germination boxes watered (8 litres) once a week for the duration of the experiment (40 days).
Results: We found significant differences between the type of pre-sowing treatment and resulting Daily Germination Percentages (DGP) (χ2 = 261.299, P <.001). The highest CGP (74.4%), GV (16) and SP (93.3%) were obtained using the nicking treatment with the hot water + nicking combination treatment performance as CGP (56.1%), GV (13) and SP (63.4%) and the control, interestingly, produced the second best performance CGP (60.6%). The lowest CGP (51.1%) and GV (6) were obtained with the hot water treatment (51.1%).
Conclusion: Combining the two pre-sowing treatments does not positively influence germination. Nicking is the best pre-sowing treatment method that should be preferred and adopted in the propagation of F. albida.
Keywords: Agroforestry, Faidherbia albida, germination, nicking, seed dormancy