Pre-Treatment of Seeds of Annona Squamosa (Sugar Apple) A Non Timber Forest Product

Adeniji I.T^1, , Adio A.F.¹, Iroko O.A.¹, Kareem A.A.¹, Jegede O.C.¹, Kazeem-Ibrahim F¹, Adewole T.O.¹ and Adeosun A.O.¹

¹Department of Sustainable Forest Management, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Adeniji I.T, Adio A.F., Iroko O.A., Kareem A.A., Jegede O.C., Kazeem-Ibrahim F, Adewole T.O. and Adeosun A.O.. Pre-Treatment of Seeds of Annona Squamosa (Sugar Apple) A Non Timber Forest Product. Research in Plant Sciences. 2014; 2(3):50-52. doi: 10.12691/plant-2-3-1

Abstract

An experiment was carried out at the seed laboratory of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria on effect of pre-treatment on seed germination of Annona squamosa. Seeds were subjected to four mechanical scarification, where seeds were filled at the hilum point, hilum and distal, distal, and around the edges of the seed. Four acid treatment (H₂SO_4,) where seeds were soaked for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes. Three water scarification at room temperature of 30C for 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours. Result showed that (T0) has 26.6% germination, T4 seems to perform better with 80% total germination, T1 with 73.33% and T2 with 60%, T10 gave 53.33%. All other treatment gave germination percentage that is less than 50%. The analysis of variance showed that the mechanical scarification round the edges gave the best result (4.00^a) which was not significantly different from the hilum point (3.67^ab) and hilum and distal (3.00^ab). These were also not significantly different from 12 hours (2.67^abc) this was also not significantly different from 24 hours that gave 2.33^bcd. The mechanical scarification distal, 10 minutes and 20 minutes have the same value of (1^de).Scarification 30 minutes, 40 minutes and 6 hours have value of 0.33^e, 0.00^e and 0.33^e respectively. These were not significantly different from control which have a value of 1.33^de. From the experiment, mechanical scarification method can be recommended for an effective and good germination percentage. Soaking seed in water at room temperature for 12 hrs and 24 hrs will also perform fairly well and can be recommended as it is not tedious but cost effective.

Keywords:
dormancy pre-treatment annona squamosa non-timber forest product

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