PAPER TITLE :EFFECTS OF HYDRO-PRIMING AND POTASSIUM NITRATE PRIMING ON THE GERMINATION OF BALANITES AEGYPTIACA

APPLIED TROPICAL AGRICULTURE | VOLUME 20 NUMBER 2 2015

Paper Details

  • Author(s) : Adelani, D.O.
  • Abstract:

To meet the current demand of forest products through domestication, there is need to embrace cheap, fast and adoptable
modern physiological techniques as priming that increase the seed germination percentages, reduce mean germination time and
increase seedling growth of agro-forestry tree species. There is dearth of quantified information on the effect of hydro and
potassium nitrate priming on the seeds of agro-forestry tree species compared to arable crops. Most of methods of breaking
seed dormancy do not promote rapid and uniform germination as priming. In this regards, these experiments were conducted to
assess the effect of hydro-priming hours (0, 6, 8, 12 and 14hours) on the germination of B. aegyptiaca seeds; to investigate the
effect concentrations of potassium nitrate (0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 ppm) and treatment times (0, 12, 24, 36 and 72hours) and to
calculate the mean germination time of each experiment. Hydro-priming experiment was laid down in completely randomised
design with four (4) replicates. A split-plot experimental design with four (4) replicates was employed for potassium nitrate
experiment. Concentrations of potassium nitrate and treatment times constituted main and sub-plot treatments respectively.
Results revealed that a significant increase in percentage germination was recorded with the increasing number of hours the
seeds were subjected to hydro-priming. The percentage germination was ranged from 18.75% to 57.50% for the control (0) and
14hours hydro-priming. A significant decrease in percentage germination was recorded with the increasing number of
concentration of potassium nitrate treatments on seeds. The percentage germination was ranged from 0.10% to 30.07% for 0.5
ppm to 0.2 ppm treatments. Germination percentage of seeds treated in 0.2 ppm concentration of potassium nitrate significantly
decreased with the increasing treatment time. Germination percentage was ranged from 10% to 59.83% for the 0hour (control)
and 12hours. Mean germination time ranged from 19.25 days to 23.62 days for all concentrations of potassium nitrate and
treatment times. The least mean germination time that ranged from 19.25 days to 23.37days was recorded for seeds treated in
0.4 ppm of potassium nitrate for overall treatment time. Highest germination percentage of 30.07% was recorded for seeds
soaked in 0.2 ppm of potassium nitrate and was recommended for mass production of its seedling for agro-forestry
programmes.